Transcript

Philadelphia-The Faithful Church

Revelation 3:7-13
Sunday, July 5, 2015
Pastor Randy Smith

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Christians live with a foot, so to speak, in two places. On the one hand, "our citizenship is in heaven" (Phil. 3:20). We have been "raised up with Christ" (Col. 3:1). That is why Peter calls us "aliens and strangers" in this world (1 Pet. 2:11). Yet for the time being, we still dwell within this fallen world. The temptations surround us to "be conformed" to its ways (Rom. 12:1). Jesus said this world will "insult…and persecute" us (Mt. 5:11).

There have been times throughout the history of the church when the culture around us has been fairly accepting. America, from its inception until recently has embraced the church and used Christian principles for the foundation of our country. However, for most of church history and presently in many parts of the world, the culture where the church found or now presently finds itself has been considerably hostile. And it is in these situations that true believers shine the brightest and the faith of many "churchgoers" is significantly tested. Few will stick it out when the persecution rises.

We have witnessed this as we observe the harsh treatment that our brothers and sisters in the Middle East are experiencing. We also have experienced it as we have studied the seven churches in Revelation 2-3 from the latter part of the first century located in Asia Minor.

Believers were forced to either offer sacrifices to the patron gods of their trade guilds or worship Caesar as lord. To refuse resulted in severe exclusion from the community, heavy taxation, loss of income or death. We learned that most went with the flow of the world. They traded their fidelity to the Lord for the societal pressure.

These people received a heavy rebuke from the Lord and were basically told to question the reality of their salvation. However, there was almost always a remnant of faithful believers, even in the churches that were dead (Sardis), corrupt (Thyatira), compromising (Pergamum) and loveless (Ephesus). Yet two churches in the list of seven stood out. Smyrna was faithful despite the persecution. And the church we'll study today, before we break for the Lord's Table, received the highest commendations from the Lord.

Let me introduce you to the church in Philadelphia. By the way, we're talking Asia Minor around AD 90, not a town in modern-day Pennsylvania!

1. The City (verse 7)

Most historians believe the name of the city originated with the king of Pergamum, a man named Eumenes II, when he conferred on his younger brother, Attalus II, the title "Philadelphus." The word literally meant, "Lover of his brother." The compound Greek word is where our modern Philadelphia gets the slogan (whether you happen to agree with that or not!), "City of Brotherly Love"

Ancient Philadelphia was located at the junction of many trade routes. The imperial post route from Rome also passed through Philadelphia, giving it the title, "The Gateway to the East." Naturally, it was a prosperous city centering primarily on agriculture and industry. Philadelphia, like the other cities we've studied also had its share religious followings. There was an influential synagogue there. Dionysus, the chief pagan god, received the primary worship of the town.

2. The Christ (verse 7)

As we move to the second point, as customary, Jesus Christ introduces Himself. This time He uses a three-fold description in verse 7.

First He says that He is "holy." Literally it could be translated, "The Holy." Holiness is often taken as purity, but it also means to be set apart. Christians are called to pursue holiness (1 Pet. 1:15-16). We fall short. Jesus is perfectly holy. He is God. He is "The Holy." Therefore He is our example. He is the One who strengthens us in this regard. He is the standard of virtue. He is the One who covers us with His holiness (when we receive Him by faith) so we may be forgiven and approach His throne.

Jesus also identifies Himself as One "who is true." Billions of competing voices all claiming to be right, but Jesus literally called Himself, "The True." Contrary to the Jewish opposition they faced (which we'll see in a moment), Jesus is the true Messiah. Contrary to the other religious gods they faced, Jesus is the true God. If you want to separate error from reality, look to the person and words of Jesus. He is "the truth" (Jn. 14:6).

Third, Jesus says He "has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, and who shuts and no one opens." A clear allusion to Isaiah 22:22, Jesus here is talking about His authority to hold absolute control over those entering the kingdom of heaven. The picture painted is that of a symbolic door that one must go through to enter heaven. Here, Jesus says He and only He holds the keys to unlock that door. Elsewhere in John's Gospel He called Himself the door itself. "I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved" (Jn. 10:9). Here the metaphor is changed. Jesus holds the keys to unlock the door. Bottom line, you want to get to heaven, you must go through Christ.

The church in Philadelphia received persecution just like all the other failing churches in Asia Minor that folded when the world threatened. Yet the church in Philadelphia stood firm and were encouraged because they trusted in these words from Christ. Their hope was in Him, as "The Holy" and "The True" and as we will see, they did not waver in unbelief.

3. The Commendation (verses 8-10)

Before the condemnation (which by the way, unlike the other churches, the Philadelphian church did not receive), Jesus often had some good words of encouragement for the churches. This point is called the commendation.

Here is what Jesus said to the church in Philadelphia. Let's first look at verse 8: "I know your deeds. Behold, I have put before you an open door which no one can shut, because you have a little power, and have kept My word, and have not denied My name."

Many like to believe the "open door" is a reference to Gospel opportunities. It is used that way elsewhere in Scripture (see 1 Cor. 16:9; 2 Cor. 2:12; Col. 4:3), but I do not believe that is the case here. In staying with the context (verse 7), Jesus is the One who has unlocked the door and has welcomed these believers into eternal life. Despite being kicked out of the synagogues and ostracized by their community - door after door slammed in their faces - the door to heaven remained open for them.

And they can know this because (the remainder of verse 8) despite having "a little power" in comparison to the surrounding world of Christ-haters, they "have kept [His] word and have not denied [His] name."

May I try to clarify a current source of confusion for today's church? What we do and what we ascribe to does not bring us salvation. All the good deeds in the world will not get you to heaven. Likewise, having the best understanding of Scripture will not save you as well. We are all sinners. We deserve eternal separation from God. Our sin must be removed and the only hope for that came from God who became man, lived a perfect life, paid the penalty for us on the cross and rose from the dead. And we receive that pardon by personally receiving this gift of Jesus Christ. We are saved by His grace, period!

However, when we are saved and thus indwelt with the Holy Spirit, we will live transformed lives. Though imperfectly, we will adhere to God's Word and progressively grow in Christlikeness. That is how we get the assurance that we are truly saved. Thus this Philadelphian church was not saved because they "kept [His] word" and did "not deny [His] name," however, they showed themselves to be saved because they "kept [His] word" and did "not deny [His] name." And because of that they received our Lord's commendation.

In verse 9, Jesus identifies one of their primary persecutors, the Jews. In verse 9, He calls them "the synagogue of Satan."

As we move in the later chapters of Revelation we get a close-up look at the direct activity of Satan. However, here in the early chapters, we just see Satan lurking behind the scenes. When we read about the aggressive attacks on the church at this point, it's through the hands of humans. However, Jesus has been quick to point out that behind the human activity have been the subtle, deceptive, anti-God plans of the devil. We'll see the roaring lion up-close and personal, but now the roaring lion is the cunning serpent moving others to do his dirty and diabolical work.

Satan is invisible to us, but his fingerprints are on everything that opposes God's work. The Philadelphia church is told to see the unseen hand of Satan in their opposition. Those in Smyrna are told the same (Rev. 2:9). In Thyatira the false teaching was deemed "the deep things of Satan" (Rev. 2:24). And those in Pergamum are told they live "where Satan's throne is" (Rev. 2:14).

Is there a message to us as well? Something about wearing our spiritual armor (Eph. 6:11)? Something about not being ignorant of his schemes (2 Cor. 2:11)? Something about loving all people including our enemies because they are simply POW's in the hands of the devil (Mt. 5:44)? There is a cosmic war going on and we had better be prepared. Prepared by (the end of verse 8) holding firm to Christ who is truth and standing grounded in His Word. The walk of faith!

In verse 9, Jesus goes on to reaffirm this faithful church. "I will make them come and bow down at your feet" (an ironic reversal from Old Testament prophecy that taught the Gentiles will worship at the feet of the Jews, but here the church in receiving the Messiah is showing itself to be the true Israel and national Israel was showing themselves to be the heathen) "and make them know that I have loved you" (the Jews thought they alone were the people God loved, yet the church is identified here as the beloved people of God).

Verse 10 teaches us that God blesses His faithful people. Here is His promise, "Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth."

Now where do we go with that one? There have been so many interpretations throughout church history. It really comes down to two specific challenges.

First, when was or is the "hour of testing…that will come upon the whole world?" Was it a specific event within the lifetime of this church (a significant period of suffering - persecution, famine, war, etc.) or was it something that would come in the distant future? For example, was Jesus referring to what we call "The Great Tribulation," the seven years of suffering that will precede His Second Coming?

Second, what does it mean that Jesus will keep His church "from the hour of testing?" Will He keep them spiritually (so they will not deny their faith) or keep them physically (so that they will not die)?

No doubt we can draw the conclusion that the church will be tested and because the church kept herself faithful to keep Christ, Christ will show Himself faithful to keep the church. That's great news in and of itself, but can we get more specific in our interpretation of these other details in verse 10?

Personally, I see nothing in Scripture that says Jesus will always protect us physically from death when being persecuted. Paul, the Apostles, countless godly men and women all died for their faith. What about the countless beliers oversees? Even in the book of Revelation we read of "those who had been slain because of the word of God, and because of the testimony which they had maintained" (Rev. 6:9). Not pleasant, but a reality.

However, Jesus promises us throughout Scripture that He will be with us during all times (Mt. 28:20) and especially during our most significant periods of testing (Mt. 10:16-20). He will strengthen us that we need not fail spiritually (see Rev. 7:11f; 12:6). Remember, Jesus even prayed this in John 17. "I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one" (Jn. 17:15). Again the principle, not immediate removal from evil, but spiritual protection from within evil. Just like all trials, right? It's not about escape from the trial, but the ability to persevere through the trial with the sustaining strength that Christ provides.

As for the timing of this event, personally, I have a hard time seeing Jesus speak of this "hour of testing" to the church in Philadelphia and having it refer to the Great Tribulation that 2,000 years later has still yet to occur. Those who believe that Jesus will rapture His church before the Great Tribulation often point to this verse as proof. Personally, I do not believe that's the best place in Scripture to go.

4. The Condemnation

As I mentioned, unlike the other churches, there is no words of condemnation spoken to the church in Philadelphia.

5. The Command (verse 11)

Next, our Lord in following basically the same pattern for each church presents a command. We see that in verse 11. "I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, so that no one will take your crown."

Again, hard for me to take this coming of Christ as the Second Coming. We know the Lord will return and we'll get to that as we keep studying Revelation, but here I believe we need to understand this coming in the same context He used this phrase with all the other churches. When He spoke of His coming to those churches it was in the near future. And it was a coming to judge the specific church. Remember Ephesus? "Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place - unless you repent" (Rev. 2:5). Remember Pergamum? "Therefore repent; or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of My mouth" (Rev. 2:16). Remember Sardis? "Therefore if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you" (Rev. 3:3).

So we see a sense in which the Lord patiently watches His churches and then visits His churches. To the unfaithful, He comes in judgment. To the faithful, like Philadelphia, He comes to bless. Therefore, Jesus says in verse 11 that they are to "hold fast" lest these lose their "crown." Of course you can't lose your salvation, but in the culture this was the reward given to the winner of an athletic contest. Persecutors can't steal our eternal life, but they can rob us of our eternal rewards by the way we respond to their threats.

6. The Contribution (verse 12)

And then lastly, we read of what the Lord promises those who are faithful. Look at verse 12. "He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will not go out from it anymore; 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 out of heaven from My God, and My new name."

The focus here is the repeated word, "name." Those who persevere to the end with their faith in tact refusing to deny His name, will be given a new name - the reward of stable everlasting identification with Christ.

Some of the language in this verse would have been significant to those in Philadelphia. Of all the cities mentioned from Asia Minor, Philadelphia experienced many significant earthquakes. Often their city was destroyed. However, when it comes to their heavenly Jerusalem, the promise is that they will be a permanent pillar. Of course this is not literal as there are no temples in heaven (Rev. 21:22-22:5). The point here is that this world is filled with instability, but heaven will be a place of blessed consistency with full identification with Christ's name. And it is looking toward not only our future rewards, but also the blessedness of peace with God and His people that motivates us to press on in faithfulness despite the pressure to conform to this world.

In using very similar language to verse 12, the book of Revelation closes with these words: "I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God has illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. In the daytime (for there will be no night there) its gates will never be closed; and they will bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it; and nothing unclean, and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into it, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life. Then he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb, in the middle of its street. On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. There will no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His bond-servants will serve Him; they will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads. And there will no longer be any night; and they will not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God will illumine them; and they will reign forever and ever" (Rev. 21:22-22:5)

Verse 13, "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."