The Church in Philadelphia
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Have you ever locked your keys in your car… or forgot your house keys?
Huge pain, a huge inconvenience. One little piece of metal has a tremendous amount of power. The person who holds the key, has the opportunity to drive or get in the fridge.
Sometimes doors shut forever because the key is no longer in our possession. That means we prop the door open to make sure we aren’t locked out. When opportunities open we need to jump through right away, before the door closes.
As a small church, it’s easy to think we don’t have as many opportunities as those churches that are bigger. It’s easy to get discouraged and to think less of ourselves because we don’t have the resources that other bigger churches have.
It’s easy to focus on the doors that are closed then the ones that are opening.
It’s easy to fall for the trap that we are unsuccessful because we are not big enough… new… modern… established… we have a building with limitations… we don’t have the staff that other churches have.
This morning we will be learning from a church that was small but faithful church. This church was not in the best location… not in the most prosperous community… they didn’t have a huge pool of wonderful talented people to fill any ministry or any role.
God had chosen this church because they were called by God, they were faithful, and the door for ministry had not been closed for this small church in Philadelphia.
Revelation 3:7–13 (ESV)
7 “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.
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. 9 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. 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.
11 I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown. 12 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. 13 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’
PRAY
What about Philadelphia?
About twenty-five miles southeast of Sardis.
It was on a high plateau that was about one hundred miles due east of Smyrna.
Philadelphia had been founded by the citizens of Pergamum as a gateway to the central plateau of Asia to create trade routes leading to the east.
Rome’s imperial postal route also went through Philadelphia, earning the city the name Gateway to the East.
Philadelphia’s economy was based mostly on agriculture and industry.
Plains to the north were suitable for growing grapes and so grapes were an important crop for Philadelphia, and wine-making was an important industry.
In 17 AD, an earthquake that destroyed Sardis was particularly devastating to Philadelphia because the city was near a fault line. This city had suffered many aftershocks which kept the people worried, causing most of them to live outside the city limits.
After the earthquake, Philadelphia received help from Rome to rebuild. In appreciation, the citizens changed the name of the city to Neocaesarea. Later, the name became Flavia, and then Little Athens because of its many temples and religious festivals.
Philadelphia was a small church in a difficult and rustic area with no prestige and no wealth.
I’m sure this church was discouraged because it hadn’t grown.
The church also dealt with those who called themselves Jews who banished them from the synagogue. The synagogue of Satan reference from Smyrna was repeated in the letter to Philly.
Just like Smyrna, Christ had no words of rebuke... chastisement... criticisms for this small, seemingly insignificant church.
Even through this church was a small and struggling Jesus told them to simply to Hold on to what you have so that no one will take your crown.
In each letter, Jesus begins with HIS unique characteristic, then HIS compliments, criticism, command, and finally the commitment Jesus made specific to this church.
Jesus’s Unique Characteristic (3:7)
Jesus’s Unique Characteristic (3:7)
7 “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.
Jesus holds the key of David… in other worlds, HE reminds this church that HE has complete authority to open the door to HIS future kingdom.
This reference alludes to an event recorded in Isaiah 22:15–25
When an official leadership position in Judah was taken from Shebna and given to Eliakim. God through Isaiah said to Eliakim:
22 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.
Jesus is that ONE who holds absolute power and authority over entrance into HIS future kingdom.
In HIS Kingdom, after the door is opened, no one can shut it—salvation is assured. Once it is shut, no one can open it—judgment is certain.
1. The holy and true Jesus holds the keys of David (3:7a).
2. Jesus is the only one who has the power to open closed doors and close open doors (3:7b).
In the late first century, the Jewish leaders apparently felt they had the authority to control access to the synagogue and God’s people. Matthew 23:13
13 “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you shut the door of the Kingdom of Heaven in people’s faces. You won’t go in yourselves, and you don’t let others enter either.
Jesus holds the key. HE has the power too opens and closes the door to heaven, the gates of the new Jerusalem, and the entrance to the temple.
Today, presently the door is open for us to sweet fellowship with Jesus.
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Church listen, Jesus holds the door open for us. Jesus still holds the keys and has all authority to open and shut doors.
Jesus’s Many Compliments (3:8–10)
Jesus’s Many Compliments (3:8–10)
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.
The phrase “I have opened a door for you that no one can shut” means this church had a prime location for missionary activity—they had an open door that no one could shut that door.
While the door to the synagogue may have been closed to them, Christ had opened a door and no one can shut that door.
The door to eternal life stood open to them, and Jesus holds the keys. For those who trust in Christ, then will not be kicked out or kept out.
Jesus said, I know your works… I’ve took notice. So remain true, stay faithful because the door that I opened for you is still open.
There are still people in Philly that I love and I want to reach.
Don’t stop, don’t give up, don’t loose heart… that door is still open.
1. Even though they are weak, they have kept HIS Word (3:8a).
2. They have not denied HIS name (3:8b).
The church may have been small (you have little power)… it’s small, with a small budget, small resources but they had been faithful in a difficult area.
You may be in a difficult area. Family, marriage, neighborhood, work environment. HOLD on, stay faithful, because the door is still open, Jesus said I did not shut it yet.
Jesus is saying, I am not done with you remain faithful. Jesus is saying, abide in ME, draw your strength from me, get your vision from me, find your wisdom in ME...
According to Jesus, weakness is a good thing.
When Christians have little power, that counts in their favor before God.
Power can easily abused, but weakness often leads to a stronger dependence on God’s power.
God judges us not on what power we start with, but on what we do with what HE has given us.
Jesus’s Criticism: NONE
Jesus’s Criticism: NONE
Jesus’s Command: Hold on (3:11)
Jesus’s Command: Hold on (3:11)
11 I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown.
For the churches in Ephesus, Pergamum, and Sardis, Christ’s coming would be a time for them to fear if they did not repent, for Jesus would be coming as their judge.
However, to the church in Philadelphia, Christ’s words “I am coming soon” would not be threatening but rather comforting.
“I am coming soon” would be a promise to the believers of HIS imminent return. The word “soon” means “without warning.”
But until then hold on to what [they] have, referring to obedience… refusing to deny Christ because their promised reward would be a crown—
A crown refers to the wreath awarded to winners of athletic contests which were common in Philadelphia.
So the picture of the eternal crown awaiting believers was especially meaningful. Paul refers to this image quite often...
25 All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize.
8 Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.
God doesn’t expect believers to all be and act the same, we all have different gifts, abilities, experience, and maturity.
But, as believers, Jesus does expect us to “hold on” to what we have. Persevere in using our resources for Jesus.
The church in Philly were commended for their effort to obey and they were encouraged to hold tightly to whatever strength they had.
If you are a new believer, you may feel that your faith and spiritual strength is small. Use what you have (even if it’s small) to live for Christ, and God will commend you.
Keep holding on!
Jesus makes a strong Commitment (3:9-10, 12–13)
Jesus makes a strong Commitment (3:9-10, 12–13)
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.
Apparently there was significant conflict between the Christians and the Jews in Philadelphia. Christ referred to those who called themselves Jews but who were really are those who belonged to the synagogue of Satan.
These Jews may have descended from Abraham and were Jews by birth, but they vehemently opposed and persecuted the Christians for their belief that Jesus was the Messiah.
Even though these Jews had shut the Christians out of their synagogues Jesus assures them that HE will force these people to come and bow down at the feet of his faithful people.
Then they will acknowledge that the Christians are indeed the ones whom Christ loves and the true believers will be vindicated.
1. Their enemies will fall down before them (3:9).
Nobody wants to be rejected but sadly that is often a reality that many Christians will be forced to endure.
Faithfulness often means being excluded from circles that mean much to us—sometimes even from family.
Those who’ve grown up in Christian homes or have families in a church may not recognize the need of Christians to feel connected to the church.
Those who are single or Christians who are married but their spouse has no family ties in the church. Sometimes following Jesus may cause some to experience rejection from their family of origin.
Hold on and encourage one another to hold on…
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.
2. They will be kept from the hour of trial (3:10).
Some believe that the phrase “I will also keep you from the hour of trial” means there will be a future time of great tribulation from which true believers will be spared.
This is a key verse for those who subscribe to the pre-Tribulation-Rapture theory—that believers will be kept from the hour of trial because they will not be on the earth during that time of great tribulation.
Others believe that the verse refers to times of great distress in general, the church’s suffering through the ages.
Others interpret “kept from” to mean that the church will go through the time of tribulation and that God will keep them strong during it, providing spiritual protection from the forces of evil.
The verb “kept from” is the same Greek verb in the Lord’s prayer.
(“Deliver us from the evil one,” Matthew 6:13 nlt).
As Jesus said before HIS death,
15 I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one.
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.
3. They will become pillars in the Temple of God (3:12a).
The believers who are victorious and remain faithful to the end receive the promise to become pillars in the Temple of my God.
The word “pillars” symbolizes permanence and stability.
Philadelphia was constantly threatened by earthquakes. Often experiencing tremors, the people would evacuate the city.
Sometimes the pillars would be the only part of a building left standing after an earthquake. This permanence is further stressed in the next phrase, “they will never have to leave it.”
4. They will be given new names (3:12b–13).
This “new name” of Christ has not been revealed, but those who are victorious and persevere this new name inscribed upon them.
TAKE AWAY:
What are those doors that Jesus has opened for you?
Hold on to what you have.
What resources has the Lord given you that you need to use?
Prayer, HIS Word
Since we know that Jesus is coming back soon, does that give us relief or fear?