Revelation 3:7-13
Notes
Transcript
7 “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:
8 “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.
9 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.
10 “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.
11 I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take away your crown.
12 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.
13 “Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches.
Introduction
Introduction
Nothing bad said about Philadelphia
Smyrna is the only other church, out of these 7 that can get that award.
Both were faithful amidst persecution.
Earthquakes
The story of Quake Lake
Y’all probably know this
August 23, 1959 near Hegben Lake - 28 people died, $11 million in damages
The earthquake measured 7.5 on the Richter magnitude scale (revised by USGS to 7.3) (but some argue it could have been a 7.8) and caused an 80-million ton landslide, which formed a landslide dam on the Madison River. The earthquake was the most powerful to hit the state of Montana in historic times. The landslide traveled down the north flank of Sheep Mountain, at an estimated 100 miles per hour (160 km/h), killing 28 people who were camping along the shores of Hebgen Lake and downstream along the Madison River. Upstream the faulting caused by the earthquake forced the waters of Hebgen Lake to shift violently. A seiche, a wave effect created by wind, atmospheric pressure, or seismic activity on water, crested over Hebgen Dam, causing cracks and erosion.
The landslide from the quake blocked the flow of the Madison River, creating a new lake, Quake Lake.
Hebgen Dam, built in 1917, is a concrete core and rock fill faced structure that sustained severe damage but continued to hold. Repairs were completed on the dam spillway in a few weeks. The landslide, which occurred downstream from the dam, blocked almost all the flow of the Madison River which began to fill in the void upstream from the slide. In less than a month, the waters had created what is now known as Quake Lake. The lack of a reliable water outlet for this new lake forced one of the largest mobilizations of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers ever commenced in the western U.S. Before the new landslide was breached by the quickly rising waters, a spillway was constructed to ensure erosion and potential failure of the natural dam would be minimized.
Northridge Quake
January 20, 1994, Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Magnitude 6.7
57 people died, $13-$40 billion in damages estimated
An overpass collapsed
Reminded of the 1989 World Series Earthquake, near San Francisco where a section of double decked freeway collapsed.
The 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake occurred on California's Central Coast on October 17 at 5:04 p.m - Just before game 3 of the World Series, which was being played in San Francisco, CA
With an Mw magnitude of 6.9
the shock was responsible for 63 deaths and 3,757 injuries
The 2019 Ridgecrest earthquakes (more commonly referred to in scientific literature as the 2019 Ridgecrest earthquake sequence) of July 4 and 5
They included three initial main shocks of Mw magnitudes 6.4, 5.4, and 7.1,[8] and many perceptible aftershocks,
The main quake on July 5 cut power to at least 3,000 residents in Ridgecrest.[12][11] Effects were felt across much of Southern California, parts of Arizona and Nevada,[13] as far north as the San Francisco Bay Area and Sacramento, and as far south as Baja California, Mexico. An estimated 20 million people experienced the foreshock, and approximately 30 million people experienced the mainshock.[14]
Philadelphia experienced earthquakes. Quite a large one hit in AD 17.
The smaller, less significant, unimportant buildings would have fared ok during the quake, but the larger, more significant, civic centers, religious centers, important buildings weren’t so lucky. The weaker buildings were ACTUALLY the larger ones… hmmm....
The city had to be rebuilt with the aid, financially, of the Roman Empire. The financial benefactors would have their name written on the new buildings across the city.
The city was also renamed a couple of times
Probably the reason for the reward
Revelation 3:12 “12 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.”
**In times of great quakes, when the earth is LITERALLY shaking, you want good pillars! You want the most reinforced, stable pillars, that can roll with what is coming, but keep the building secure. You don’t want week pillars!
Philadelphia, although weak, is promised to be a pillar
Dramatic Reversal!
Dramatic Reversal!
Revelation 3:8 (NLT) 8 “... You have little strength, yet you obeyed my word and did not deny me.
Revelation 3:12 (NLT) 12 All who are victorious will become pillars in the Temple of my God, and they will never have to leave it…
Jesus is good at dramatic reversals, or paradox
Can you think of some “dramatic reversals?”
Matthew 18:1-5 “1 About that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?” 2 Jesus called a little child to him and put the child among them. 3 Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. 4 So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. 5 “And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me.”
Becoming like a child is NOT innocence; it is lowering your status. To become great, you must become the weakest!
Children had a low status in society
This is why, repeatedly in the OT, the people are told to look after the widows and orphans. No one else would.
Paul Discusses this dramatic reversal too
2 Corinthians 12:7-10 “7 even though I have received such wonderful revelations from God. So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud. 8 Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. 9 Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. 10 That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
The greatest story of this reversal is how God became flesh!
John 1:14 “14 So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.”
See also Revelation 5 Lion/Lamb reversal
The pillars of the faith were always seen as the big, strong, influential people. Those in Jerusalem like James, Peter, Paul etc…
But now, the church extremely far away from Jerusalem, the church that seems so insignificant, is invited to be a PILLAR. The weak have become the strong!
Christ is telling the church that although they appear weak, and are small compared to the Jews and other religions, and they have no status in their society, HE WILL USE THAT WEAKNESS AS A STRENGTH!
The things that make us feel that we are insignificant may very well be the things that God wishes to use so that HIS power and strength will be seen, not our own!
And, that is EXACTLY what Christ intends to do with the church in Philadelphia; use their weakness in WONDERFUL as He OPENS THE DOOR TO ADVANCEMENT in the world.
Revelation 3:7-8 “7 “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: 8 “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.”
The synagogue, which is declared to be a tool of Satan by Christ seems to think they have teh power to open doors of fellowship or close doors of fellowship.
Christ declares that he has the Master Key
The Key of Death and Hades, but also the Key of David
Isaiah 22:22 “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.”
The idea is that all power and authority, like that of a king, is with this one.
The “City of Brotherly Love” hasn’t been so brotherly and loving to the small group of Christ followers. The Synagogue has closed the doors of fellowship to them, without realizing that Christ is the one with that authority. Won’t they be surprised when they bow down at the feet of the Gentiles as Philippians 2:11 declares.
Revelation 3:8 “8 “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.”
Revelation 3:8 (NLT) 8 “I know all the things you do, and I have opened a door for you that no one can close. (IN GREEK ‘oti = BECAUSE) You have little strength, yet you obeyed my word and did not deny me.
Christ has opened a door for them BECAUSE they were too weak to do it themselves.
Open Doors are For Advancement!
Open Doors are For Advancement!
1 Corinthians 16:9 (NLT) 9 There is a wide-open door for a great work here, although many oppose me.
2 Corinthians 2:12 (NLT) 12 When I came to the city of Troas to preach the Good News of Christ, the Lord opened a door of opportunity for me.
Colossians 4:3 (NLT) 3 Pray for us, too, that God will give us many opportunities to speak about his mysterious plan concerning Christ. That is why I am here in chains.
Windows are for looking out into our changing, shaking, quaking world and holding our ground with what it means to be faithful.
Doors are for going out and advancing in that world!
Windows are for looking at the world that is changing advancing towards us.
Doors send us out into that changing world with our faith!
The Philadephia church has done well to hold their ground amidst the changing world.
In, their changing situation where the Jews have ousted them from fellowship and they have their questions on how to remain faithful amidst shifting and quaking circumstances, they are praised for their faithfulness and perseverance.
But, now, Christ has opened a door next to the window they looked out at the world through.
Christ has opened a door and they are encouraged to walk through it and advance!
Too many times we look through the window and see the encroachment of the world upon our faith. We hold firm, but we see the enemy army creeping closer and closer. We think we are too weak to do anything, but to hold our ground.
And then, Christ opens a door and asks us to walk through it and advance what being faithful means to our world!
It’s not about standing firm ONLY. It is about advancing the Kingdom of God!
It is about continuing to be faithful as God sends you through the door into the world!
Matthew 16:17-20 (NLT) 17 Jesus replied, “You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being. 18 Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell (THE GATES OF HADES) will not conquer it. 19 And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.” 20 Then he sternly warned the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.
The image is one of offensive! The CHURCH MUST BE ON THE ADVANCE! In our shifting, quacking, changing world it is the church, that must remain a pillar. And, the faithful church is the church that advances the KINGDOM!
But, won’t people mock, despise, reject, test, pressure, persecute etc… me?
YES!
Revelation 3:10 “10 “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.”
New American Standard Hebrew-Aramaic and Greek Dictionaries: Updated Edition 5083 τηρέω (tēreō)
τηρέω tēreō; from a prim. word τηρός tēros (a guard); to watch over, to guard:—continue(1), guard(1), guards(1), heed(2), heeds(1), held in custody(1), keep(27), keep watch over(1), keeping(1), keeping guard over(1), keeps(9), kept(12), kept in custody(3), observe(3), preserve(1), preserved(1), reserved(4), watching over(1).
This has been translated less than accurately by some translations, including the NIV.
Revelation 3:10 (NASB) 10 ~'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.
The phrase, “Keep you from” is misleading in English. We get ideas of vanishing, disappearing, being shielded, not receiving persecution etc… from this translation.
The NLT translates it pretty well when they write, “I will protect you”
This doesn’t mean that we won’t experience the test of our faithful witness (REMEMBER THE COURTROOM IMAGE) but, when our ability to be a faithful witness is tested WE WILL RECEIVE PROTECTION!
John 17:15 “15 I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one.”
The weak ones are actually the strongest because it is to them that God gives the call to advance through the open door.
Where are YOU weakest?
Have you considered allowing God to use that weakness as an opportunity for His strength, grace, and power to be made known?
What are open doors God has provided for you?
How are you doing on advancing the KINGDOM OF GOD through the open door God has given us?
Are you too busy looking through the window? Or, are you ready to lace up your marching shoes and advance the kingdom?
In the midst of our changing, shaking world, we need strong pillars of faith not to simply stand firm. We need our pillars advancing through the open door to, transform, and stabilize our world!
Stop starring, start advancing.
With God’s grace, although we are weak, we can do this!