The Revelation to Philadelphia -.
A little trivia quiz this evening - you may want to take out a piece of paper to write the answer down
How many doors are in this sanctuary?
Don’t turn around and count – just take a guess, and write it down
How many doors are in this sanctuary?
Second, how many doors are in this entire church?
Put a number down
Okay, now exchange your papers with a neighbor
Just kidding – you can mark your own
How many doors in this sanctuary? _______
Now how did you know that? Well, people who are bored with the sermons – I’m told - will count just about anything - how many doors, how many chairs, how many lights, how many squares – you name it!
That’s easy. Second question - how many doors are in this entire church building? _________ – did anybody get that? That was worth coming for this evening for, wasn’t it?
Did you know that a lot of doors are mentioned in Scripture as well?
Both in the Old and the New Testament, the Bible talks about a number of doors, often with very different meanings. For instance, in Revelation 3:20, Jesus says: (Revelation 3:20) Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. This is the door of intimacy with Christ - We usually apply this passage in an evangelistic sense, and yet it was written to a church of believers. It illustrates for us the willingness of Jesus to pursue believers who have grown cold in their relationship with him. The imagery is of Jesus knocking at the door of a church, and waiting for the church to re-open that door so that a vital relationship can be re-established
Another type of door mentioned in scripture is the door of salvation For instance, in John 10:29, Jesus said: (John 10:9) I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. Jesus was teaching the remarkable truth that he is the only way to salvation. Inside that door or gate, there is safety and everything we need.
There’s a third type of door mentioned in scripture – the door of opportunity. For instance, Paul says in Colossians 4:3: “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”. It’s mentioned a number of times in scripture, and it refers to the way that God gives wonderful opportunities to preach the gospel, and also how he prepares willing ears to listen and eager hearts to receive it Throughout history, people have found that God has a unique way of providing opportunities for fruitful service, and hearts ready to accept the gospel.
This morning we’re looking at the sixth of seven churches in the book of Revelation. This church is located in Philadelphia – obviously, not the one in Pennsylvania, USA. This one was in Asia.
Philadephia – The City
Philadelphia was a city strategically located on the road from Rome to the east, and was a strong fortress city. It was a city of major influence in the area and was located on the edge of a great volcanic plain which was fertile as a result and perfect for grape growing. It was the centre of worship of the greek god Dionysius, the god of wine – no surprise really. It’s proximity to active volcanoes was a constant threat and the people in the most part lived outside of the city due to the threat from falling buildings within the city walls.
Philadelphia, however, was more than just a gateway to the east or a fertile valley, it was also an “open door of opportunity – spiritually speaking.
If we read Christ’s letter, you’ll see what I mean. Read Rev 3:7-13.
In Philadelphia, there was a small bunch of Christians who were faithful to the task. They were neither large in number, powerful or influential, but they were significant to Christ, who takes the time to write them a letter.
Christ - the Writer
In this Letter, like those we’ve studied before, Christ introduces himself in terms which are relevant to the audience. Here Christ says three things about himself – He says he is holy, true and he holds a key which he uses.
1) He says he is holy – morally perfect and without flaw or blemish. Holiness is an important attribute of God
2) He is true - the one behind everything, the one who is wholly trustworthy and reliable.
3) He holds the Key of David. Now this is an interesting description which refers back to Is 22:20f. In Chapter 22, Isaiah condemns the city of Jerusalem. They had just been delivered from their enemies camped outside their city, but they showed no gratitude for their divine rescue. The charge lain before them is that they were self-sufficient, - trusting in their weapons, their efforts in strengthening the city walls and their stores of water. He then turns his attention to an individual – Shebna, the chief steward of Jerusalem, who was guilty of a similar sin as the city itself. He was guilty of seeing himself as indispensible, a “Mighty Man” in verse 17. He apparently paraded through the streets in a mighty chariot and prepared for himself a splendid grave. As a result of his unfaithful service, he is replaced by Eliakim. Now the significance of the image is that the chief steward of the city held the key of David – this was the master key to not only the city but also to the palace. He was second only to the king and controlled who could come and who could go – who had access to the king and who didn’t. He was the one who opened the doors and shut other doors. Listen as I read it from Isaiah …
Vs 20 "In that day I will summon my servant, Eliakim son of Hilkiah. 21 I will clothe him with your robe and fasten your sash around him and hand your authority over to him. He will be a father to those who live in Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. 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. 23 I will drive him like a peg into a firm place; he will be a seat of honor for the house of his father.
In Revelation, we see this image continuing in vs 7
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.
Christ is here claiming to be the new Eliakim – the one who holds the palace key, not an earthly door, though, it was heaven’s door. Christ opens and closes the doors which allow people to enter the kingdom – he is in control of the opportunities which we have and no opportunity is not appointed by him.
The Church’s Condition
Philadelphia was a blessed city. They were living in the land of opportunity, but why were they so blessed. The answer is found in verse 8.
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.
Now the NIV here is a bit wrong.. How the greek reads is like this.”I know your works. Behold, I have set before you a door that is open, and no one is able to shut it, because you have little power, have kept my word and have not denied my name”. Christ is giving reasons for the opportunities that are before the Philadelphians and I see here 3 reasons – all beginning with W. This is the path to get opportunity, the address at which we could find it – It is if you like the internet address. www.opportunity.god. You need the www before you can get the opportunity. It doesn’t work unless you have the www first. So what are the 3 W’s.
1) Weakness - This was a small church with seemingly no prestige. It regularly got beaten up by the local Jews who had condemned them. But because it was weak, they relied upon God. They knew who’s work it was and didn’t try to usurp his authority. – It’s a lesson for all of us fiercely independent people isn’t it.
2) Wordly – No I haven’t left out an “l” here and yes it is a word – and if it is not, it should be. They were wordly – They were consumed by the word, devoted to the word, satisfied by the word and thriving on the word. They kept God’s Word, which meant that they knew God’s Word and we could likely conclude that they therefore spent time studying God’s Word. Are we Wordly or are we Worldly in our focus?
3) Wavering–Not. – I had to make it fit, didn’t I. Here was a church who no matter what they were faced with, refused to give up on their faith. The ridicule, the peer pressure, the opposition or even the possible persecution they faced could not make them waver. Instead they were faithful to the end.
www – Weak, Wordly and Wavering-not were the reasons given for the giving of the open door – the opportunity to preach the gospel to their neighbours, to their friends, to people passing through the city.
I want to ask you tonight whether you have a door of opportunity open for you? If you do, are you making the most of every opportunity? I must admit, that I fail so often and let the opportunities slip. We need to pray for each others that we be bold enough to take the opportunities God gives us.
I read this humorous story of a guy who prayed this prayer every morning: "Lord, if you want me to witness to someone today, please give me a sign to show me who it is." One day he found himself on a bus when a big, burly man sat next to him. The bus was nearly empty but this guy sat next to our praying friend. The timid Christian anxiously waited for his stop so he could exit the bus. But before he could get very nervous about the man next to him, the big guy burst into tears and began to weep. He then cried out with a loud voice, "I need to be saved. I’m a lost sinner and I need the Lord. Won’t somebody tell me how to be saved?" He turned to the Christian and pleaded, "Can you show me how to be saved?" The believer immediately bowed his head and prayed, "Lord, is this a sign?" Are you looking for a "sign" to start witnessing?
And if you are saying, I don’t have any opportunities, then why not. Which W are you lacking? Weakness? Are you trying to do it all on your own instead of waiting for God’s power? Maybe its Wordliness. Is your life based wholely and solely on God’s word - following the principles laid out in his Word? Or maybe it is just that you are Wavering instead of Wavering- Not.
How can we expect God to give us opportunities if we don’t rely on him, his word and his name. Remember the W’s come before the opportunity – www.opportunity.God.
Promises and Blessings.
It shouldn’t surprise us that when we are given wonderful opportunities for service, there is usually also new opportunities for selfishness, pride, defection or compromise. Satan hates you with a passion and will try to undermine any and all spiritual progress.
An organization in Montana once offered a bounty of five thousand dollars for every wolf captured alive. Two hunters named Sam and Jed decided to head for the hills and make some money capturing wolves. Day and night they scoured the mountains and forests searching for their valuable prey. Exhausted after three days of hunting without any success, they both fell asleep.
During the night, Sam suddenly woke up to find that he and Jed were surrounded by a pack of fifty wolves, with flaming red eyes and bared teeth, snarling at the two hunters and preparing to pounce. Sam nudged Jed and said, "Hey, wake up! We’re gonna be rich!"
Sometimes when we are surrounded by what appears to be many difficulties, we may in fact be surrounded by many opportunities. Christ recognised that often opportunity and opposition go hand in hand and gave the Philadelphian church 4 specific words of comfort.
1) First, he promised to humble their enemies and open their eyes to the truth. Vs 9 reads
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.
The first opponents of the church were the hostile Jews. This was the continuation of the tension we see between the early church and the Jewish community who believed that they were the people of God by birth and religious heritage. Christ echo’s Paul’s teaching in Rom 2:28 that
RO 2:28 A man is not a Jew if he is only one outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. 29 No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a man’s praise is not from men, but from God.
God is not pleased by outward rituals, but is pleased by inward attitudes. In the end of time, the Jews will recognise the distinction between a real follower of Christ and their brand of religion.
2) The second thing promised to this church was that he would keep them from the hour of maximum trials.
10 Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from (or more accurately, out of) the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth.
A couple of things to note here. This tribulation was going to be global in nature – it was to come upon the whole world. It was also to test those who live on the earth. This is not just talking about the Christians in the church here. This phrase is repeated several times through the book of Revelation and refers to believers and unbelievers.
The hour of trial is understood to be a time of intense trouble that will fall on the world before Christ comes again. It is called elsewhere in Scripture the “day of the Lord” or the “Great Tribulation.” But just how the Christians are protected from it a matter of debate. Those who believe in a Pre-tribulation rapture, would see that this passage and others like it teach that the Christians will be taken out of the earth (raptured) before the great tribulation and so will be protected from all that it involves by their absence.
Others who hold to a post tribulation rapture believe that this promise is not to remove the Christians from the earth, but to offer protection to them while on earth.
This verse can not prove or disprove either argument on its own and so we won’t dwell on it any more. It is sufficient to say that we have a marvelous promise here – Christ will protect his own because of their obedience to him.
3) The third promise I see here is the promise of strength and security.
11 I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. 12 Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it.
Remember what I said about Philadelphia being in a volcanic area. Often the only parts of the city left standing after a severe quake were the huge stone temple columns. When you visit ancient ruins you will notice that often all that is left standing are the pillars. In the Jerusalem temple which was destroyed in 70 A. D., there were two great pillars in front of the building, one called Jachin (which means "established, permanent"), and the other Boaz ("strength"). Pillars were synonymous with strength and permanence. Christ promises to set his believes up in such a secure fashion that can never be moved.
"Never again will he leave it," says Jesus. This promise of Jesus to never go out again is a reference to the experience of these Philadelphians who had frequently to flee the city because of the earthquake tremors that came. When you labor for me, says Jesus, you will reach a place where you will not have to go out ever again. It is a picture of security, permanence and strength.
This is the promise to those who overcome. To those who are faithful. The faithful are also said to have a crown which can be lost if they waver. This does not speak about salvation, but future rewards and opportunities for future service.
4) And lastly, Christ promises a new name which is representative of our character.
I will write on him 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 him my new name.
If we overcome, we will be given 3 names
a) the name of God – shows we will be godly. This is the purpose of the HS dwelling in our lives.
b) We’ll be given the name of the city of God. The last 2 chapters of Revelation speak about the New Jerusalem being like a bride being prepared for her husband, Christ. This new name speaks of the loving intimacy that Christ has for his faithful.
c) We’ll be given a new name that no one knows. Names in the Bible symbolize one’s character or role. Before Jesus was born in Bethlehem an angel appeared to Joseph and told him that Mary would have a son, who was to be called “Jesus." Why? "Because he will save his people from their sins," When we get to heaven, we will each have a new ministry, a new area of service and this will come with it a new name symbolic of this new ministry.
What wonderful promises,
• Our enemies will be humbled,
• We’ll be kept from tribulation
• We will be strengthened and made secure.
• We’ll be given a new name
These are the promises that were available to Philadelphia and are also available to us – if we faithful in taking the opportunities he sets before us.
Perhaps you are despondant because you don’t have the opportunities of witness that you know you should have. Well Christ’s message for you is www.opportunity.god. Be Weak in Christ, Be Wordly and Be Wavering-Not.
Perhaps Jesus has an open door for you. Do you have the faith in Him to step through it. Faith like the Philadelphians. If you have these, promises are yours.
13 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
Stop! Look! Listen! Hear the Spirit. Think through these letters. Pay attention to them, because they are spelling out your future destiny.
