What is Jesus saying to His church? (7)

Faithful to the end

Thus far in our series, we have looked at Who stands in the middle of His Church and how Jesus holds us in His hand.

Ephesus had left its first love

Smyrna was called to be faithful in persecution

Pergamum turned a blind eye to sin

Thyatira had embraced corruption

Sardis had a reputation for being alive, but was dead

Today, we’ll look at the church in Philadelphia.

What do we know about Philadelphia?

This is not the home of the Flyers, Eagles, Phillies, etc. It was founded in the 2nd century BC and named after the 5th successor to the throne from Pergamum.

Attalus II came to the throne after the death of his brother, and because he was so loyal, he had received the name Philadelphus.

Philadelphia was located about 50 kilometers southeast of Sardis and was vastly an agricultural area with many vineyards.

Earthquakes were a common occurence because the city had been built on a fault line. (NCCS Revelation)

This left the people insecure to a fault. With rich land and so many earthquakes, many lived in the country and very few dwelt in the city.

Let’s read and see what Jesus said to His church.

Revelation 3:7–13 NLT

“Write this letter to the angel of the church in Philadelphia. This is the message from the one who is holy and true, the one who has the key of David. What he opens, no one can close; and what he closes, no one can open: “I know all the things you do, and I have opened a door for you that no one can close. You have little strength, yet you obeyed my word and did not deny me. Look, I will force those who belong to Satan’s synagogue—those liars who say they are Jews but are not—to come and bow down at your feet. They will acknowledge that you are the ones I love. “Because you have obeyed my command to persevere, I will protect you from the great time of testing that will come upon the whole world to test those who belong to this world. I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take away your crown. All who are victorious will become pillars in the Temple of my God, and they will never have to leave it. And I will write on them the name of my God, and they will be citizens in the city of my God—the new Jerusalem that comes down from heaven from my God. And I will also write on them my new name. “Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches.

How does Jesus describe Himself?

Revelation 3:7 NLT

“Write this letter to the angel of the church in Philadelphia. This is the message from the one who is holy and true, the one who has the key of David. What he opens, no one can close; and what he closes, no one can open:

The One who is Holy

These are attributes of God and God alone who is perfectly holy and true.

Isaiah 40:25 NLT

“To whom will you compare me? Who is my equal?” asks the Holy One.

Isaiah 43:15 NLT

I am the Lord, your Holy One, Israel’s Creator and King.

Here’s what Psalm 16:10 says

Psalm 16:10 NLT

For you will not leave my soul among the dead or allow your holy one to rot in the grave.

How do we know this is about Jesus?

Peter quotes this Psalm on the day of Pentecost.

Acts 2:25–27 NLT

King David said this about him: ‘I see that the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me. No wonder my heart is glad, and my tongue shouts his praises! My body rests in hope. For you will not leave my soul among the dead or allow your Holy One to rot in the grave.

He is the One who is True

John 14:6 NLT

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.

Stanley M Horton says, He is “the True One, the Genuine One,” that is, the genuine messianic King who makes David’s throne eternal.

Horton, S. M. (1991). The Ultimate Victory: An Exposition of the Book of Revelation (p. 61). Logion Press.

He’s not a knock off. He’s not an after market Saviour. He is the One True God.

1 John 5:20 NLT

And we know that the Son of God has come, and he has given us understanding so that we can know the true God. And now we live in fellowship with the true God because we live in fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the only true God, and he is eternal life.

He is the One who has the key of David

Let’s read Isaiah 22:22

Isaiah 22:22 NLT

I will give him the key to the house of David—the highest position in the royal court. When he opens doors, no one will be able to close them; when he closes doors, no one will be able to open them.

In this passage, God was taking away the authority of a man named Shebna, and authority was given to Eliakim. Eliakim had the authority to open and close doors of the kingdom in Jerusalem.

Authority

Fast forward, Jesus has authority to open and close doors, and nobody can shut a door that He has opened and nobody can open a door that He has shut.

Matthew 28:18–19 (NLT)

Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth.

Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations...

We can read verses like,

“With God all things are possible.”

John 14:12–14 NLT

“I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!

Now if Jesus didn’t have authority and power in His name, we would be wasting our time waiting on God to do anything.

I have seen God answer prayer. I have seen God answer your prayers. Is anything too hard for the Lord? Not at all!

In 2 Kings 6-7, we have the story of a terrible famine. The people inside the city of Samaria were starving. Some were getting so desperate that they were even eating their own children.

The king was so angry. It was God’s fault. I find it interesting how it’s always God’s fault when something bad happens, but when something good happens, it’s because of what we have done.

The king wanted Elisha the prophet’s head. It wouldn’t help anything, but it would sure make him feel better.

Listen to what Elisha had to say to the man that was sent.

2 Kings 7:1–2 NLT

Elisha replied, “Listen to this message from the Lord! This is what the Lord says: By this time tomorrow in the markets of Samaria, six quarts of choice flour will cost only one piece of silver, and twelve quarts of barley grain will cost only one piece of silver.” The officer assisting the king said to the man of God, “That couldn’t happen even if the Lord opened the windows of heaven!” But Elisha replied, “You will see it happen with your own eyes, but you won’t be able to eat any of it!”

So what happened?

God brought fear on the opposing army that they ran for home and left everything in their tents and ran away.

There were four men that had leprosy who decided as starve, they should at least try to get food from the enemy, and when they came to the camp, it was empty. Nobody was there, so they helped themselves to all that they wanted.

Finally they decided to tell the people from the city of Samaria what they found. The people of the city went out and raided everything and what Elisha had predicted came true, including the man that said that it was impossible. He was trampled by the people as they went out of the gate of the city.

Jesus’ Compliment

Revelation 3:8 NLT

“I know all the things you do, and I have opened a door for you that no one can close. You have little strength, yet you obeyed my word and did not deny me.

Jesus saw what they did. He knew that even though they only had little power, they had obeyed God’s word and openly confessed Jesus.

Because of this He had opened a door that no one could shut.

What does “open door” mean?

Preach the gospel

It can mean that God opens a door to preach the good news about Jesus.

Colossians 4:3–4 NIV

And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should.

Direction

James 1:5 NIV

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.

Have you ever had a decision that you needed to make and you just needed direction from God?

God can open doors or shut them. I’ve had times in my life when doors closed. God closed doors that at the time I wasn’t excited about but looking back, I am thankful that He shut the door.

Whenever you have a decision that you need to make, bring it to the Lord. Call out to Him and He will answer you, and show you great and mighty things that you don’t know.

I’m not going to spend much time on verse 9, but Jesus mentioned those who claim to be Jews but are not. A true Jew, in God’s eyes, is a Jew inwardly. These people were opposing God and He was going to make them bow down to God’s people.

Whether this has already happened or is still to happen, I’m not sure. Is this when every knee bows and every tongue confesses that Jesus is Lord, or is it a time of revival past or present, I’m not sure. (UV:EBR)

Let’s take a look at

God’s protection from a great time of testing

Revelation 3:10 NLT

“Because you have obeyed my command to persevere, I will protect you from the great time of testing that will come upon the whole world to test those who belong to this world.

Who will be kept or protected?

Those who persevere or patiently endure.

Hebrews 12:1–2 (NIV)

...let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,

fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Because these believers persevered, they will be kept from the great time of testing.

This speaks to the Great Tribulation. The Great Tribulation is a period of Seven years according to Revelation 13:5.

It can’t take place until the man of lawlessness is revealed. 2 Thessalonians 2:3

2 Thessalonians 2:2–8 NLT

Don’t be so easily shaken or alarmed by those who say that the day of the Lord has already begun. Don’t believe them, even if they claim to have had a spiritual vision, a revelation, or a letter supposedly from us. Don’t be fooled by what they say. For that day will not come until there is a great rebellion against God and the man of lawlessness is revealed—the one who brings destruction. He will exalt himself and defy everything that people call god and every object of worship. He will even sit in the temple of God, claiming that he himself is God. Don’t you remember that I told you about all this when I was with you? And you know what is holding him back, for he can be revealed only when his time comes. For this lawlessness is already at work secretly, and it will remain secret until the one who is holding it back steps out of the way. Then the man of lawlessness will be revealed, but the Lord Jesus will slay him with the breath of his mouth and destroy him by the splendor of his coming.

After he is revealed, Jesus said, Matthew 24:21

Matthew 24:21 NLT

For there will be greater anguish than at any time since the world began. And it will never be so great again.

The church, the body of Christ will be kept or protected from this dreadful time. During the last 3 1/2 years of the Great Tribulation God’s wrath will be poured out on the earth and people will cry for the rocks to fall on them to hide from the wrath of God.

I am Coming soon

Revelation 3:11 NLT

I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take away your crown.

Jesus encourages that He is coming soon. For many that day will come as a thief.

In 1 Thessalonians 5:2-6, Paul wrote,

1 Thessalonians 5:2–6 NLT

For you know quite well that the day of the Lord’s return will come unexpectedly, like a thief in the night. When people are saying, “Everything is peaceful and secure,” then disaster will fall on them as suddenly as a pregnant woman’s labor pains begin. And there will be no escape. But you aren’t in the dark about these things, dear brothers and sisters, and you won’t be surprised when the day of the Lord comes like a thief. For you are all children of the light and of the day; we don’t belong to darkness and night. So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be clearheaded.

Hold on to what you have so that no one will take your crown.

1 Corinthians 9:24–25 NIV

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.

Let’s not be tossed around by every wind of teaching but let’s be rooted and grounded in God’s word. Let’s hold on to our faith. Now isn’t the time to turn back or lose heart.

Fight the good fight. Finish the race. Keep the faith.

To the one who is victorious

Revelation 3:12–13 NIV

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. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

Jesus promised that those who were victorious would be Pillars in the temple of God.

Pillar represents (S. M. Horton)

Permanence and Stability

Being that Philadelphia was built on a fault line, there was insecurity, but God wanted them to know that they would never have to leave His presence. He would make them pillars.

On these pillars He will write:

The name of God

The name of the New Jerusalem

Jesus’ new name

What is represented in a name?

The Ultimate Victory: An Exposition of the Book of Revelation (The Faithful Will Be Pillars (3:12–13))

authority,

character,

and person.

To Close,

1 John 3:1–3 NIV

See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.

Philippians 3:12 NIV

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.

Let everyone with ears hear what the Spirit is saying to His church.

Amen.