Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction:

a

CXXXIX.

Philadelphia.

Chap.

3:7–13

1 Thus saith the holy One and true,

To his beloved, faithful few,

“Of heav’n and hell I hold the keys,

To shut, or open, as I please.

2 I know thy works, and I approve,

Though small thy strength, sincere thy love;

Go on, my word and name to own,

For none shall rob thee of thy crown.

3 Before thee see my mercy’s door

Stands open wide to shut no more;

Fear not temptation’s fiery day,

For I will be thy strength and stay.

4 Thou hast my promise, hold it fast,

The trying hour will soon be past;

Rejoice, for, lo!

I quickly come,

To take thee to my heav’nly home.

5 A pillar there, no more to move.

Inscrib’d with all my names of love;

A monument of mighty grace,

Thou shalt for ever have a place.”

6 Such is the conqueror’s reward,

Prepar’d and promisd by the Lord!

Let him that hath the ear of faith

Attend to what the Spirit saith.

[John Newton and Richard Cecil, The Works of John Newton, vol. 3 (London: Hamilton, Adams & Co., 1824), 459–460.]

Main Thought: As God's Church, let us keep on keeping on for the Gospel until we're caught up to meet the Lord in the air.

Sub-intro:

a

The situation of the city fully explains this saying.

Philadelphia lay at the upper extremity of a long valley, which opens back from the sea.

After passing Philadelphia the road along this valley ascends to the Phrygian land and the great Central Plateau, the main mass of Asia Minor.

This road was the one which led from the harbour of Smyrna to the north-eastern parts of Asia Minor and the East in general, the one rival to the great route connecting Ephesus with the East, and the greatest Asian trade-route of mediæval times.

The Imperial Post Road from Rome to the Provinces farther east and south-east coincided for some considerable distance with this trade-route.

Through Troas, Pergamum, Thyatira, it reached Sardis; and from thence it was identical with the trade-route by Philadelphia up to the centre of Phrygia.

Along this great route the new influence was steadily moving eastwards from Philadelphia in the strong current of communication that set from Rome across Phrygia towards the distant East.... Philadelphia, therefore, was the keeper of the gateway to the plateau.... [W.

M. Ramsay, The Letters to the Seven Churches of Asia and Their Place in the Plan of the Apocalypse (London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1904), 404–405.]

The Imperial Post Road from Rome to the Provinces farther east and south-east coincided for some considerable distance with this trade-route.

Through Troas, Pergamum, Thyatira, it reached Sardis; and from thence it was identical with the trade-route by Philadelphia up to the centre of Phrygia.

Along this great route the new influence was steadily moving eastwards from Philadelphia in the strong current of communication that set from Rome across Phrygia towards the distant East.... Philadelphia, therefore, was the keeper of the gateway to the plateau.... [W.

M. Ramsay, The Letters to the Seven Churches of Asia and Their Place in the Plan of the Apocalypse (London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1904), 404–405.]

Philadelphia, therefore, was the keeper of the gateway to the plateau.... [W.

M. Ramsay, The Letters to the Seven Churches of Asia and Their Place in the Plan of the Apocalypse (London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1904), 404–405.]

W. M. Ramsay, The Letters to the Seven Churches of Asia and Their Place in the Plan of the Apocalypse (London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1904), 404–405.]

Body:

I. Christ's Message to the Pastor of the Local Church at Philadelphia ().

A. Christ's Characteristics ().

a

The first thing that strikes us is not what the Lord does or has, but what the Lord is Himself.

[William Kelly, Lectures on the Book of Revelation (London: T. Weston, 1903), 67.]

William Kelly, Lectures on the Book of Revelation (London: T. Weston, 1903), 67.]

1.

His Holiness.

Dan.

9:

Heb.

7:

2. His Truth.

3. His Dominion.

a. His Unmatchable Power to Open.

b.

His Unmatchable Power to Shut.

a

“He that hath the key of David.”

This is different from the keys of hades and death which we saw in chapter 1, verse 18.

This speaks of His regal claims as the Ruler of this universe.

“He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end” ().

J. Vernon McGee, Thru the Bible Commentary, electronic ed., vol. 5 (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1997), 917.]

He will sit on the throne of David in the Millennium, but today He is sovereign, sitting at His Father’s right hand, waiting for His enemies to be made His footstool.

[J.

Vernon McGee, Thru the Bible Commentary, electronic ed., vol. 5 (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1997), 917.]

B. Christ's Considerations ().

1. Behold... the Open Door ().

a

8.

I have set—Greek, “given”: it is My gracious gift to thee.

[Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset, and David Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, vol. 2 (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997), 560.]

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset, and David Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, vol. 2 (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997), 560.]

a. Future Opportunity for Testimony.

a

Just as Philadelphia was in a geographically ideal location for both commercial intercourse and the “evangelization” of Asia with Dionysianism, the Lord had placed His candlestick in this wonderful opportune place for biblical evangelism.

He it is that gives and takes away the opportunities for His purposes, as Asaph stated, saying, “For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south.

But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another” ().

The Apostle Paul had recognized that the Lord was the great “Door Opener,” stating, “For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries” (),

Thomas M. Strouse, To the Seven Churches: A Commentary on the Apocalypse of Jesus Christ, Selected Works of Dr. Thomas M. Strouse (Bible Baptist Theological Press, 40 Country Squire Rd., Cromwell, CT 06461, 2013), 159–160.]

“Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ's gospel, and a door was opened unto me of the Lord” (),

and “Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds” ().

As a matter of fact, the Lord Jesus Christ has authorized His baptizing assembly to carry out His work wherever the Lord opens the door (; ; ; ).

[Thomas M. Strouse, To the Seven Churches: A Commentary on the Apocalypse of Jesus Christ, Selected Works of Dr. Thomas M. Strouse (Bible Baptist Theological Press, 40 Country Squire Rd., Cromwell, CT 06461, 2013), 159–160.]

Mt. 18:

Mt. 28:

b.

Present Occasion of Testimony.

a

How many of our churches are strategically located?

Many.

In fact, most are strategically located.

Some sit right in the heart of cities where teeming thousands of people live.

Others sit on the main roads of cities, and others on the main roads of country and farm areas.