REVELATION 3:7-13 // PHILADELPHIA //
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LAST WEEK
LAST WEEK
We looked at the Church of Sardis
We read how this church had a reputation amongst society, yet the reality of their spiritual state was comatose.
We learned that we can be just like the Church of Sardis
Having a reputation
Having something to boast about
Yet being confronted by the God of the Universe who see’s right through our false perception.
THIS WEEK
THIS WEEK
We are going to look at the only requirement of God
What I want us to ask ourselves is this:
What do we value in relationships?
Do we see God leading us?
What do we value in friendships?
Or are we just creatures of chance?
What is the only thing we require of others?
TURN TO
7 “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write,
‘These things says He who is holy, He who is true, “He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens”: 8 “I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name. 9 Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie—indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you. 10 Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. 11 Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown. 12 He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. 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 I will write on him My new name.
13 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’
PRAY
7 “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write,
‘These things says He who is holy, He who is true, “He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens”:
REV 3:
TO THE ANGEL OF THE CHURCH
To the Messenger
To the Overseer
To the Pastor of the Church in Philadelphia
WHERE WAS PHILADELPHIA?
Located in the Valley of the Cogamus River
It wasn’t a Major city
But it was a city that was founded by Pergamum to establish a gateway to Pergamum from the West.
Today it is known as the City of Alasehir in Western Turkey
This city had very fertile land because of the Volcanic activity that once existed there.
The ash and lava began to work its way into the ground
Creating very fertile soil that nurtured vineyards
Marking Philadelphia as a source of delicious grapes.
As the city became a Greecian Missionary Center
It adopted Dionysus as its patron deity
Who was known as the God of Wine.
They saw the fertile land, perfect for growing grapes, as a gift from Dionysus.
Because this City had been previously saturated with volcanic activity
It became known for its constant seismic activity
It was not only called the City of Brotherly Love
But the City Full of Earthquakes
PHILADELPHIA BECAME A HAVEN FOR HELLENISTIC JEWS
Greek speaking Jews, often seen as Backslidden Jews
Brotherly Love
For those who were indeed backslidden, they were known as the Diaspora Jews
Known as the Diaspora Jews
To this Gentile and Jewish Community, Jesus speaks
“THESE THINGS SAYS HE WHO IS HOLY”
HAGIOS
Holy
Separated
Consecrated
Dedicated
“THESE THINGS SAYS HE WHO IS TRUE”
Is Jesus reminding them of His Truthful nature?
Yes and no, this word is actually Alethinos, different from Alethes.
Alethes is regarding the truth of a statement in comparison to what is false.
Alethinos is regarding the reality of a subject in comparison to what is fake.
JESUS WANTS THE PHILADELPHIANS TO KNOW THAT HE IS SEPARATE AND REAL
THAT HE IS BOTH HOLY & REAL. HE IS REALITY.
THAT HE IS THE POSSESSOR OF THE KEY OF DAVID
This speak of Authority
It speaks to prophetic fulfillment found in Jesus
HE IS THE WAY, HE IS THE DOOR, AND HE HAS THE KEY TO HIS FATHERS KINGDOM.
HE ALONE GRANTS ACCESS TO THE KINGDOM
NO ONE CAN COME TO THE FATHER BUT THROUGH HIM
REV 3:
8 “I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name.
JESUS KNEW THEIR WORKS
He knew their works, their deeds
HE SET BEFORE THEM AN OPEN DOOR FOR THE GOSPEL TO ADVANCE IN THEIR CITY
What was this open door?
Some believe that this is speaking to the way the culture was going in Philadelphia
Some of the time, we can look at culture and proclaim how damning its become
Jesus sees it differently
This city had become a city of Grecian Discipleship
The Greek Culture was the thing
Because the NT was first written in Greek
This could have been the open door that Jesus was talking about
The Grecian Takeover of this city made it easier for them to communicate the stability found in Jesus Christ
It could also be speaking to the Stability Jesus brought to a very volatile Geography
As people began to live for Christ
As they began to lose their lives in Christ
They no longer feared death
They no longer feared the devastation of the possible earthquakes
As this city became the gateway to Phrygia, Lydia, and Mysia
The armies, the sojourners, and tourists were forced to pass by Philadelphia.
Making it a very Missionary City
Not only was Jesus opening up the door of opportunity
He was making himself available as the the One who is Holy & True
The One who was tempted in all things and yet without sin
The One who was Separate and Real
The One who gives Strength
The Omniscient One
The One who has the name above all names
The Only name by which we can be saved.
JESUS KNEW THAT THEY WERE WEAK
But He also knew their potential
He knew that they had little strength
But he also saw value in what they had going for them
THEY HAD KEPT HIS WORD
THEY HAD NOT DENIED HIS NAME
CHURCH, SOMETIMES, THIS IS ALL WE CAN SAY FOR OURSELVES
Sometimes, following Jesus costs us something
Sometimes, representing Jesus costs us something
It may be our reputation
It may be our comfort
It may be money
It may be our lives
AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE ONLY THING WE ARE LEFT WITH IS THE VERY COMFORTING TRUTH THAT
WE KEPT HIS WORD
AND THAT WE DID NOT DENY HIS NAME
IS THAT TRUE OF US WHEN NO ONE IS LOOKING?
If the things we choose not to talk about
If the things that we choose not to publicize
If the things that we keep from others
Where out for everyone to observe
Would we still be considered Christians?
JESUS DIFFERENTIATES BETWEEN TWO PEOPLE GROUPS IN VERSE 9
9 Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie—indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you.
FOR THOSE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WERE FAKING IT
HE CALLS THEM THE SYNAGOGUE OF SATAN
HE CALLS THEM OUT ON THEIR HYPOCRISY
We must remember who the Jews were
They were God’s people
The apple of His eye
His chosen people through whom He birthed the Messiah
These people, who were entrusted with the scriptures
Not only denied who Jesus was
They denied the reality of every prophecy He fulfilled
They neglected the evidence that Jesus put on display
They came to a hypothesis that neglected the scriptures that they were so fond of
They came to a hypothesis that neglected all the evidence that Jesus had put before them
Prophecy after Prophecy
Miracle after Miracle
Yet they neglected the infalliable truths of His person and Work
This people group, wrecked havoc in the early church
Jesus didn’t take it lightly
He exposed who they truly were
Liars
Who worship everything that exalts itself against the name of Jesus
Making them little Anti Christs
JESUS INFORMS THE CHURCH.
HE ENCOURAGES THEM, THAT THEIR ACTIONS AREN’T GOING UNNOTICED.
One Day
They will worship before God’s people
Not only in reverence
But in conviction of what they did with the Messiah
9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Phil 2:8
THIS DECLARATION OF THE SAVED AND UNSAVED WILL PROVE ONE THING
THAT GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD
THAT GOD LOVES THE CHURCH
THAT GOD KEPT HIS WORD
10 Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.
10 Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. 11 Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.
REV 3:10-
BECAUSE THIS CHURCH KEPT HIS COMMAND TO PERSEVERE
God Himself responds with preservation
In a city that feared natural disasters
In a city that often had military in town
In a city surrounded by the worship of Dionysus
God honors the steadfastness of His Church
He tells them, He informs them, He educates them
That there will be a time of trial
A period that will come upon all the world
To test those who dwell on this earth.
With that, and all the fear and anxiety that this brings
He says, don’t worry, I will preserve you from this hour
BEHOLD I AM COMING QUICKLY
YOU DON’T KNOW THE DAY NOR THE HOUR
SO DO ME A FAVOR
HOLD FAST TO WHAT YOU HAVE
HOLD FAST TO YOUR TESTIMONY
HOLD FAST TO YOUR CHARACTER AND INTEGRITY
THAT NO ONE MAY TAKE YOUR CROWN
12 He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. 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 I will write on him My new name.
rev 3:
TO THOSE WHO OVERCOME
NIKAO
CONQUER OR PREVAIL
HE WILL MAKE US A PILLAR IN THE TEMPLE OF GOD
Remember, these people did not trust buildings
They didn’t trust Pillars
They lived in fear of the “Big One”
JESUS IS REFRAMING THEIR TRUST IN GOD BY RELATING IT TO THE THING THEY STRUGGLED WITH
I know you dont trust in buildings
But if you prevail, if you conquer, if you overcome
I will make you immovable
A Pillar in the Temple of God
A Temple not made with hands
A Temple not made with inferior materials
But Eternal Materials that are faultless
You will be so firm in your foundation, that you won’t have to go out anymore
This would comfort the church on so many levels
THEN HE FINISHES IT OFF WITH A LITTLE TATTOO SESSION
HE WILL WRITE ON US THE NAME OF OUR GOD
HE WILL WRITE ON US THE NAME OF THE CITY OF MY GOD, THE NEW JERUSALEM
I WILL WRITE ON HIM MY NEW NAME
The Revelation of John, Volume 1 Philadelphia: Many Promises (Revelation 3:7–13 Contd)
When in AD 17 a terrible earthquake devastated their city, and Tiberius, the emperor, dealt kindly with them, cancelling taxation and making a generous gift to rebuild it, in their gratitude they called the city Neocaesarea, the New City of Caesar; and later, when Vespasian was kind to them, they called it Flavia, for that was the family name of Vespasian. Jesus Christ will mark his faithful ones with his new name: what that name was, we need not even speculate, for no one knows it (Revelation 19:12); but, in the time to come, when Christ has conquered all, his faithful ones will bear the badge which shows that they are his and share his triumph.
BOTH OF THESE NAMES DIDN’T STICK
THEY ENDED UP GOING BACK TO PHILADELPHIA
13 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’