Philadelphia
The Seven Churches • Sermon • Submitted
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THT —weakness only crushes you if you give up.
THT —weakness only crushes you if you give up.
life group leader meeting!
I’m so glad to be back here this weekend. I’m already about two weeks in but I miss being here with you all. I miss the daily conversations about faith and life among people here at church and in Mt Pleasant. I miss being home with Danielle. And it does my soul well, to see all of you and to read the messages and prayer requests that have been sent or posted. I can’t thank God enough for each of you. Your love, hope, and faithfulness humbles me. It encourages me. And the Lord has used it to begin to develop a deeper love for others. Please continue to be faithful, loving, and hopeful people.
But we’re not here to listen to me ramble about what you mean to me. Though, it is always good to communicate things like that. We are here to worship, fellowship, to gather around the Lord’s Table for communion with each other, and to open up his revealed Word to us. We are here to see what it says and how we can understand it and how it can be applied to our daily lives.
Before I go any further, I’d like to pause and take a moment to pray for the Spirit of God to enlighten us. To open our eyes to truth, wisdom, discernment, encouragement, strength, and the reality of Jesus’ promises to these churches, but specifically the promises of the church we are going to study today. Please join me in a word of prayer if you choose to do so.
The God who is holy and true,
Each of us have gathered here today for a purpose. Some may be seeking some sort of care. Their soul is wounded, it is hurt. Would you provide balm for the soul as we read your word. May you Spirit comfort them and surround them with peace and grace.
Others have gathered because of their commitment to faithfulness, of being in community with other believers. Would you remind them of the value of community and how we can support each other through your word.
Finally, some are here because they didn’t have a choice or had no where else better to go. May you be kind to them and encounter them in a unique way this morning. In the name of the one true and holy messiah, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
How many of you have ever heard the phrase “pain is weakness leaving the body.” I don’t know if I actually agree with that statement. How many of you entered into a gym or fitness facility and thought this phrase, went all gun-ho and the next day you could not move? Like at all.
That pain hurts. That specific kind of weakness definitely keeps us from working out or going to the gym consistently. That kind of pain is not something we tend to endure well. I think of all the new years resolutions that are made and how many of them are forgotten or discarded. People simply quit. They made a goal and gave up on the goal.
And today, we are not going to talk about getting into the gym and getting strong physically. But we are going to talk about weakness. And as we read God’s word together, I believe we’ll see that if you follow Jesus, then weakness can only crush you if you give up. Lack of power will only inhibit you if stop. If Jesus is your saviour and your hope, do not give in or give up regardless if you don’t think you can go on.
And I think this is what God is going to show us in his word today because of how Jesus speaks to the Philadelphia church in the book of Revelation. Now, we’ve been hard charging through the seven churches, Philadelphia is number six. And Philadelphia, not to be confused with the liberty bell or the Eagles or Ben Franklin — Philadelphia was a city in the Roman world about 30 miles east of Sardis, the church we focused in on last week. Philadelphia had several different names. They had been conquered by different nations in the second or third century B.C.E. and when you are conquered, you are given a new name based on who is ruling. So, Philadelphia was given its name by a ruler, Attalus II, who dedicated it to his brother.
But following an earthquake that destroyed the city in the first century, it was renamed for a period until about 70 AD where it was again, renamed, Flavia Philadelphia. Regardless of the name changes, it was known for its temples and festivals. It has flourishing trade and agriculture. Really the only draw back was that it was often subject to earthquakes.
However, in Philadelphia, it seemed that the believers were enduring some severity of persecution. It had left them weak, vulnerable, oppressed. So, if you have your Bibles, we’re going to read Revelation 3:7-13. And again, this is a short letter from mouth of Jesus to the city that is struggling. They are weak and hurt. But he offers promises and encouragement to them if they endure. If they keep fighting the good fight. So again, open your Bibles with me and we’ll read the word of God together.
This is the Word of God
7 “To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open.
8 I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.
9 I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars—I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you.
10 Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth.
11 I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.
12 The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name.
13 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
As in the all the letters, we see a description of Jesus. The description for every church is different, but it articulates the same theme: I am who I am. I have authority over the universe, this world, your church, and your life.
These opening addresses are similar to when a parent comforts their child when they’re scared. Parents usually say, “I promise I won’t let anything happen to you.” However, Jesus backs up his authority with the ultimate reminder to the churches of who he is.
Jesus is the Holy one and the True one. Jesus uses an Old Testament title for God.
15 I am the Lord, your Holy One, Israel’s Creator, your King.”
Other’s in the New Testament articulated the same thing
69 We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.”
This title tells us that Jesus is set apart. He is unique. He is the true and living God as opposed to the false gods. He is the one who alone can and will redeem and renew the world.
The true one shows his uniqueness and divinity compared to idols. 1 John 5:20 shows us how this thought was prevalent in the early church
20 We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.
The difficult part is not that he is the holy and true one, but that he holds the key of David. This seems to be a reference to chapter 1, where Jesus says,
18 I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.
Jesus holding the key shows us his control over the eternal destiny of humans. He has been given the keys of the kingdom of heaven
19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
But the connection to David is found in Isaiah 22:22
22 I will place on his shoulder the key to the house of David; what he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open.
Christ is Holy and True. He is aware. He has been given the keys. And this leads into his words for the church in Philadelphia.
He opens with “I know your deeds.” And then speaks about an open door that no one can close. This door is not opportunities for ministry. It is not chance for evangelism. That is not the purpose of the door here.
The open door functions as an assurance to the church that nothing can separate them from God. Christ in his own divine authority guarantees that their access will never be taken away.
He knows their deeds: they have kept his word and not denied him, even with little power or strength. The church was weak! Christ acknowledges that they have weakness in worldly status and influence among their non-believing neighbors, businesses, and government.
Their weakness echos a large Christian truth for us that is seen in other portions of scripture.
9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Have you ever felt weak at school? I remember feeling really alone when we moved from Michigan to Florida and it forced me to live in weakness. I didn’t have friends. I didn’t have popularity. It’s difficult to be confident in Christ when all you want to do is fit in, to be noticed, to be seen. You’d be willing to compromise a little to fit into social circles. And if we are being honest, we’ve all done it.
For example, think back to your first day on the job and they schedule you to work when you usually worship or participate in bible studies, groups. It’s really difficult to ask for religious accommodation. You need the job. You don’t feel strong enough to be accommodated so that you can practice your faith with other believers.
Or consider that as a family you’ve chosen to make your faith a priority. It’s difficult to change our habits, schedules, and structure. Your kids and spouse struggle with this new priority and you feel weak. You have little power to convince them to fight.
We all experience weakness at some point. It happens to every one. But weakness only crushes you if you give up. The people in Philadelphia were in a state of weakness. They were pushed out from the synagogue by the Jews. Verse nine communicates to us, as Christ did in Smyrna. Claiming to follow God, they have actually rejected Jesus Christ and have attempted to destroy the early Christian church.
It is likely that the Jewish synagogue competed for influence in the wider culture. It’s easy to envision that some in the Jewish community mocking an outwardly powerless church as rejected by God. But Christ reverses their status. They are weak now, on earth. They are enduring hardship now from others, but eventually things will change.
In the book of Isaiah, God promises Israel several times that gentile world powers would bow down at their feet when he comes to renew all things. In verse nine, Christ is speaking those promises from Isaiah, but he has flipped the script. Now that gentiles have been given salvation and freedom in Christ along with Israel, the gentile nations now include unbelieving Jewish people. For example, read Isaiah 60:14 with me
14 The children of your oppressors will come bowing before you; all who despise you will bow down at your feet and will call you the City of the Lord, Zion of the Holy One of Israel.
In the time of Isaiah, he is clearly speaking about Israel as a nation against the world powers that surround them However, in an ironic twist, Christ speaks in Revelation 3:9
9 I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars—I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you.
that the unbelieving Jews will be forced to recognize God’s favor on all believers they regard as unworthy.
If you follow Jesus, then weakness can only crush you if you give up. There are promises found in him of new and full life.
Even verse ten speaks to the promises of God if you endure
10 Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth.
This is not a promise that keeps believers from suffering. It is a promise that keeps them from the judgement and trial that those who choose not to believe and become disciples of Jesus will experience at the end of the age. The promise is protection in Christ when he comes to bring his verdict on the remainder of humanity for choosing to live life without the need of redemption and renewal.
As Paul writes in 1 Thessalonians 1:10
10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.
And 1 Thessalonians 5:9
9 For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Christ promises redemption, protection even in our weakness. But we must not give up.
And he echoes this to them in the next verse. “Hold fast what you have, so that no one will take your crown.” Hold fast! I know you are weak. I know you have little power, but do not give up! Run the race, finish it even if you crawl across. Do not let anyone take the victors crown from you.
Keep being people of the cross and the Spirit. Holy, righteous, loving, kind, gentle, discerning, and wise. It’s like Christ is saying you will suffer but you are not alone and redemption will come soon.
Christ finishes his letter to Philadelphia with promises. To the overcomer he will make them a pillar in the temple of God. He will write on him the name of God, the name of the city of God, and his new name.
It is a promise of open access to God granted by Christ. It is a promise of vindication when his redemption is made complete.
Consider Ephesians 2:19-22
19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household,
20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.
21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord.
22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
Despite the weakness among the church, in God’s future redemption they will have a privileged position among God’s people that will never be taken away. They will be pillars. They will never depart from that role in God’s community.
But then Christ will write a new name on them. The city with multiple names over the centuries, will now have a church with a name and identity that no one can take away. They will be full accepted by God as his name rests on them. They will have the right to dwell in the new Jerusalem as the name of the city rests on them. Finally, they live out a new identity made possible by Christ’s transforming work as his new name rests on them.
All of this is promised to them, if they do not give up. Even though they are weak, of little power, it cannot crush them if they remain in fellowship with Christ Jesus and his kingdom.
I know there are people in this room who feel like they have little power over their lives. They feel weak. They feel threatened. They are suffering.
If you’re feeling this way, I really want you to consider the person and work of Jesus. He is who he said he is and you can trust in his faithfulness. You can trust in his promises. Jesus welcomes you to faith in him. It is a free gift! If you are suffering and lacking hope and searching for newness of life in Christ, would you talk with me after service? Maybe you’ve become undisciplined, maybe you have never been a disciple of Christ. Whoever and wherever you are, let’s chat because it could change your life.
If you know a friend who is suffering and in need of encouragement — would you share a word similar to this with them? Would you inform them of the promises of God that never fail? Would you remind them of the power of Christ to protect them and guide them through suffering? Would you give them hope in a world full of sorrow? Christ has come to set the captives free. He has come to overcome the world, and give us the ability to overcome with him through the power of the Spirit. Share the good news of Jesus with people who are lonely, oppressed, hurt, and suffering. He is the source of life, hope, and love.
Weakness can only crush you if you give up. Remain faithful and trust in his promises, even when you are weak, and you will be given a new identity and you will never be removed or separated from God.
13 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
Will you pray with me?
psalm 37 for benediction