Keep On Keeping On!

Let me invite you to take your Bibles and turn to Revelation 3:7-13.  This morning, we investigate the message to the Persevering Church, the church at Philadelphia.

 

In the recent weeks, we have seen the Church at Ephesus as the Waning Church.  We have seen the Church at Smyrna as the Suffering Church.  We have seen the Church at Pergamos as the Worldly Church.  We have seen the Church at Thyatira as the Tolerant Church, and we have seen the Church at Sardis as the Dead Church. 

 

In all seven messages to these first-century churches of modern-day Western Turkey, Jesus normally offered a commendation and a condemnation.  However, here as we saw with the Smyrna Church, He only offers commendation or compliments or praise without any complaints.

 

When thinking about Philadelphia, of course, we know this name means brotherly love.  In fact, it was named because of the love between two biological brothers, Eumenes and Attlatus. 

The city of Philadelphia was known for its earthquakes and its agriculture.  When the earthquake of AD 17 destroyed the city, many of its residents moved to the rural areas around the city and began thriving as an agricultural center fertile for grape vines and subsequently wine. 

 

In today’s text, I want to show you Jesus’ complimented their perseverance, He counseled them to persevere, and He committed because of their perseverance.

 

Notice that I said this was Jesus’ message to them.  Notice verse 7.   

 

As normal, the message was originally given to the pastor of the church.  However, Jesus described Himself differently than He did with the other churches.  With the other churches, we have been able to go back to chapter 1 and see how He described Himself to John in his vision.  However, that is not true here.

 

In verse 7, we see Jesus as a figure of authority.  Notice that His authority was based on His deity.  He is holy.  This was Jesus claiming to be God as God is the only One who is truly holy of His own accord.

 

Second, His authority was based on morality.  He is true.  Everything He does and says is right and not fake or deceptive. 

 

Third, His authority was based on prophecy.  Jesus having the key of David is a fulfillment of prophecy. 

 

This original prophecy was recorded in Isaiah 22:22 as Eliakim possessed the access and authority to King Hezekiah’s throne.  Jesus now is the later fulfillment of this prophecy as He holds the key of David, the key to the New Jerusalem which is heaven. 

 

In other words, Jesus is the only one who opens the door of heaven and the only one who can shut it.  Consequently, no one else can open the door of heaven, and no else can shut it.

 

What does that mean?  Receiving Jesus as your Lord and Savior is the only way to forgiveness of sin, eternal life in heaven, and peace with God.  Morality won’t do it.  Ingenuity won’t do it.  Generosity won’t do it.  Charity won’t do it. Biology won’t do it.  See John 14:6 and Acts 4:12.

 

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

 

12 Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

 

 

10. Jesus complimented their perseverance, Revelation 3:8-10.

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.

 

The message of Christ begins in verse eight with Jesus recognizing their works. He knew what they had done. 

 

He then said He had put before them an open door which no one can shut.  Remember, this spoke to His authority, but what was it?

 

Some have suggested this was the Philadelphia Church’s opportunity for evangelistic expansion or missionary work.  It is true that throughout the NT, door has been used to illustrate ministry opportunities, but that was primarily Paul using that language. 

 

Look at Revelation 4:1.

 

1 After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, “Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.”

 

Here, John referred to heaven or salvation as a door, and let me also direct you to verse 9.  As it was in Smyrna, first-century Jews were harassing the first-century believers in Philadelphia.  They had perhaps even kicked out or shut the door of the synagogue on the Jewish Converts.

 

I believe Jesus was saying to the believers in the Philadelphia Church that even though they had shut them out of the synagogue, He would not shut them out of heaven.  He would give them an open door to heaven because of their perseverance. 

 

Back to verse 8.  Saying their strength was little was not a criticism.  Jesus was acknowledging their small size in numbers. 

 

This was not a big church, but they had kept His word or obeyed, and they had not denied His name.  In other words, they had persevered. 

 

They had even persevered in the face of first-century Jews.  Jesus called their place of worship a synagogue of Satan and called them liars.  What was happening?

 

Jesus was clarifying Jewry.  What makes one a Jew?  Is it ethnicity?  No, for Jesus, Jewry must have meant something other than ethnicity. 

 

Consider Paul in Romans 2:28-29.

 

28 For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; 29 but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God.

 

Jewry is not ethnicity but spirituality and the condition of one’s heart.  Here is what was happening.  Jewish converts were kicked out of the synagogue and then persecuted for going to the Christian Church at Philadelphia, and their persecutors were ethnic pagan Jews.

 

Jesus said that one day, these Jews would worship, but it would be by coercion and not confession.  Do you understand what I mean?

 

Everyone will worship Jesus at some point.  Those who have received Him as Lord and Savior will worship Him because of their confession.  Those who have rejected Him will worship Him because of coercion.  They will be forced.  See Philippians 2:10-11.  Worship Him sooner or later.

 

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.

 

In verse ten, we again see Jesus complimenting the Philadelphia Church’s perseverance, and we also see what I believe is a reference to a major end times event.  I believe this is the rapture of the global church and the seven-year tribulation. 

 

Even though, there are other possibilities, I believe Jesus promised to the Philadelphia Church and the global church to rapture them to heaven before this hour of trial begins. 

 

Notice some other aspects of this tribulation. It is for a specific period. 

 

It is a future event.  It will happen. 

 

It is for a specific place.  It will happen on earth. 

 

It is for a specific people.  This is unique wording used to designate lost people on the earth during the time of the tribulation. 

 

Therefore, I believe the rapture of the Philadelphia Church and the global church will happen before the tribulation.  After that, the Lord is coming quickly at the beginning of verse 11.

 

 

11. Jesus counseled their perseverance, Revelation 3:11.

11 Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.

 

In verse 11, Jesus told the Philadelphia Church to keep on persevering so that no one would take their crown.  That’s an interesting statement. 

 

This is the stephanos crown or the victor’s crown, but can it be taken away?  It cannot for those who are truly saved. 

 

How do we know if someone is truly saved?  They persevere through the end.  See Matthew 24:13.

 

13 But he who endures to the end shall be saved.

 

 

• Jesus committed to their perseverance, Revelation 3:12-13.

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.”’

 

This message to the Philadelphia Church ends as do the others speaking to those that overcome the evil one and are truly saved.  In eternity, the true believer will be part of the temple of God, have the name of God, in the city of God, as a part of the heaven of God. 

 

Being a pillar reminds us of our security in Christ and provided a vivid encouragement to this church who knew of their city’s devastating earthquakes.

 

We’re not sure of what this new name is.  However, it is most likely the same name as mentioned in 2:17 to the Pergamos Church.  It may be the name saint as opposed to sinner.

 

God has committed in the eternal heavens for every individual who has ever been born-again and overcome the evil one and perseveres to the end.  This is a message to the Persevering Church of Philadelphia and the Emory Baptist Church.

 

 

Conclusion

The invitation this morning is simple.  If you’ve never received Christ as Lord and Savior, I invite you to do so today.

 

If you have, persevere even when trials come your way.