The Faithful church

• 1^st – The introduction… vs. 7
  • FOUR sections
    • Each of the LETTERS to the churches contains FOUR sections…
    • Introduction – Positive – Negative – and Encouragement!
  • 1^st – The Angel…
    • To the angel!
    • As you will recall – there are TWO thoughts on WHO this ANGEL was…
    • FIRST – a guardian ANGEL – who watched over PHILADELPHIA – Hebrews 1:14
    • SECOND – it could be the PASTOR of the church…
    • ANGEL [ἄγγελος] – means messenger – one who gives Gods WORD…
    • Therefore – Jesus is talking about the PASTOR – who gave His church His Word!
  • 2^nd – The City…
    • Of the church in Philadelphia write!
      • PHILADELPHIA – a compound word – to LOVE [φίλος] your BROTHER [ἀδελφός]
      • It is the MODERN city of Alaşehir – meaning the CITY of GOD [or red city]
      • It is a small agricultural city of around FORTY thousand – with VERY few Christians…
      • Located about 50 Kilometers southeast from the church of Sardis…
      • The RUINS of the Roman city are located in the middle of the MODERN city…
      • Only three PILLARS from the Basilica of Saint John [6^th century] remain standing today!
    • Biblical PHILADELPHIA…
      • Due to its GRAPE [wine] production – it was a very PAGAN city…
      • The main god of Philadelphia was Dionisius – the god of WINE…
      • Located on the Imperial Post Road – it was an important trade and communication route…
      • It was a KEY city between the EAST and WEST portions of Asia Minor…
      • PHILADELPHIA was the one of the LAST cities to fall to the Muslim Ottomans [1390]
      • Though they were perhaps the LEAST [smallest] of the churches – they lasted the LONGEST!
  • 3^rd – The Tone…
    • Describing Jesus…
      • In His INTRODUCTION to each of the Churches – Jesus looks back…
      • Highlighting specific CHARACTERISTICS of the Vision from – Revelation 1:11-18
      • The choice of CHARACTERISTICS – sets the TONE for the LETTER to that church…
      • The TONE to PHILADELPHIA – is one of encouraging a SMALL church…
      • With that in mind – there are THREE descriptions given by Jesus in His INTRODUCTION!
    • These things says He who is holy
      • FIRST – Jesus is THE [ὁ] HOLY [ἅγιος] – to be SET apart – to be WORTHY…
      • In a CITY that was dedicated to WINE – Jesus calls the church to be SET apart [ἅγιος]!
      • We live in a world that lives for PLEASURE – only thinking about TODAY…
      • Though we live AMONG them – we are not to be LIKE them…
      • We are called to be HOLY – show them a BETTER life – lived for ETERNITY!
      • II Corinthians 6:17 – “Come out from among them – and be separate – says the Lord.”
    • He who is true!
      • SECOND – Jesus is THE [ὁ] TRUTH [ἀληθινός] – TRUTH is a PERSON!
      • John 14:6 – “I am the way – the truth – and the life.”
      • I saw a teaching from a pastor – who church boasts FORTY thousand people a week…
      • He claimed that EVOLUTION is compatible with the BIBLE…
      • God was the AGENT [creator] who used EVOLUTION as the means [tool]
      • Directly contradicting the Bible account – SIX literal days – NO death… 
      • This eroding of the AUTHORITY of the WORD – is now celebrated in many CHURCHES!
      • II Timothy 4:3 – “A time is coming [and now is] when people will no longer listen to right teaching. They will… look for teachers who will tell them what they want to hear.”
      • Many CHURCHES today – would love for us to question the TRUTH…
      • What is right for you – may not be what is right for me – everything is RELATIVE…
      • And People FILL the churches who teach this…
      • Because they want pastors who tell them their LIFESTYLE is OK…
      • The result is a lot of churches have gotten away from the TRUTH – the WORD!
    • He who has the key of David.  He who opens and no one shuts – and shuts and no one opens!
      • THIRD – Jesus has THE [ὁ] KEY [κλείς] – of David!
      • In the days of the King Hezekiah – there was a SCRIBE named Shebna [strong]
      • An ARROGANT man – he BUILT great monuments [tomb] for himself – Isaiah 22:16
      • But the LORD had the prophet Isaiah rebuke Him…
      • Shebna would be REPLACED by Eliakim [GOD raises up] – son of Hilkiah [God is my portion]
      • Isaiah 22:22 – “I will give HIM the key to the house of David…” [NLT]
      • The IDEA is God – who is HOLY and TRUE – will NOT use men who think they are STRONG…
      • God uses men whom HE raises up – who KNOW their POWER comes from the LORD…
      • To these men God will give the KEY – so they can OPEN and CLOSE the DOOR…
      • It is the KEY of death and hell – Revelation 1:18
      • The TONE of this letter – is Jesus telling a SMALL church He has a PLAN for them…
      • NOT the STRONG or MIGHTY – not the MEGA churches who question TRUTH…
      • NOT the pastors who are out to build THEIR Kingdom [monuments] – MEGA ministries…
      • God uses the who DEPEND on HIM – they are the ones given the KEY…
      • The GOSPEL message – the ONLY way to open the DOOR to heaven – if we give it to others…
      • Or CLOSES the DOOR to heaven – if we do not!
        

• 2^nd – The Positive… vs. 8-10
  • 1^st – Jesus KNOWS… vs. 8
    • I know [εἴδω] your works!
    • Jesus said this to all SEVEN churches – He sees [perfect] EVERYTHING – Hebrews 4:13
    • What He saw in PHILADELPHIA was pretty much ALL good…
    • So much so that arguably this is one of only TWO [Smyrna] churches were nothing BAD is said!
  • 2^nd – The SMALL church… vs. 8
    • [Look] – I have set before you an open door – and no one can shut it!
      • LOOK [imperative] – the FIRST of FOUR times Jesus will say this to the CHURCH!
      • If someone tells us to LOOK at something – it is NOT because we are staring at it…
      • It means we are DISTRACTED – and LOOKING the WRONG way!
      • The church in PHILADELPHIA was distracted – they were missed the point…
      • Perhaps they were envious of what was happening in nearby Laodicea [rich MEGA church]
      • And Jesus wanted them to instead LOOK at the most important thing…
      • He had opened the DOOR to HEAVEN – and NO one had the POWER [δύναμαι] to SHUT it…
      • The church in PHILADELPHIA – unlike some of the other SEVEN – was in a GOOD place!
      • It is EASY for a church to get DISTRACTED – and lose FOCUS…
      • We can get our EYES on other churches – and MISS what really MATTERS…
      • God is not concerned about how many SEATS are filled on a Sunday morning…
      • His focus is how many SAINTS are going to walk through the DOOR into heaven!
    • For you have a little strength – have kept My word – and have not denied My name!
      • BECAUSE – although the church in PHILADELPHIA was SMALL [μικρός]
      • And they did NOT have a LOT of POWER [δύναμις] – NOT many people – NOT much money…
      • It was easy to THINK they were NOT that important of a church…
      • But what they did do – was KEEP the WORD – and NOT deny the NAME of Jesus!
      • We tend to FOCUS on a LOT on numbers in the church today…
      • As if somehow – a MEGA church is the measure of a HEALTHY church…
      • Yet the average church has around 75 people [50% of churches had less than that]
      • And many [not all] MEGA churches we see – do NOT teach the WORD!
      • The SIZE of the church is up to the LORD – the FOCUS of the church is our choice…
      • What makes a GOOD church is not how MANY people attend – it is the MESSAGE…
      • If we KEEP teaching the WORD – which is the TRUTH…
      • Then we are a HEALTHY church – because we understand it is all about Jesus!
      • Romans 10:17 – “So then faith comes by hearing – and hearing by the word of God.”
  • 3^rd – The FALSE church… vs. 9
    • [Look] I will make those of the synagogue of Satan – who say they are Jews and are not – but lie!
      • LOOK [imperative] – Jesus wanted the church to SEE another church…
      • He called it the CHURCH [συναγωγή] of SATAN [Σατανᾶς]
      • The members claimed to be JEWS – people of God – but they were LIARS!
      • Although THE church was SMALL for the first THREE centuries…
      • It was when THE church became the ACCEPTED religion [Constantine] things went wrong…
      • Though the numbers GREW– those who truly believed in Jesus DECLINED…
      • Satan found that the best way to beat the church – was to join it!
      • It is sad to say – there are likely more than a few churches of SATAN today…
      • Some are LARGE congregations – where they claim to be people of GOD…
      • But all we have to do is LOOK – at what they TEACH – how the LIVE…
      • And we will SEE they are LIARS – they do NOT belong to God!
    • [Look] I will make them come and worship before your feet – to know that I have loved you!
      • LOOK [imperative] because Jesus will [future] cause these FALSE churches to WORSHIP…
      • WORSHIP [προσκυνέω] – to KISS the hand – we call it MANO…
      • The idea is – TODAY it might look like the BIG churches are BLESSED…
      • But ONE day – they will have to come and BLESS the SMALL churches…
      • So they might [subjunctive] KNOW – Jesus LOVES little churches who KEEP His Word!
      • Christianity is a FAITH that is focused on TOMORROW not TODAY…
      • Because living a HOLY life – by the TRUTH – sharing the KEYS of heaven…
      • Is NOT a guarantee of a MEGA church – it might mean a MINI church…
      • But there is a REWARD that will come ONE day – when God will show His LOVE [ἀγαπάω]!
  • 4^th – The RAPTURED church… vs. 10
    • Because you have kept My command to persevere – I also will keep you from the hour of trial!
      • The church had KEPT [aorist] His WORD [λόγος] by ABIDING [ὑπομονή]
      • Therefore – Jesus would also KEEP [future] them OUT of the time of TRIAL…
      • Not that they would not face any TRIALS [πειρασμός] – John 16:33
      • This is talking about THE [ὁ] time of THE [ὁ] trial – the Great TRIBULATION!
      • I do wonder – what some of these APOSTATE pastors will say to THEIR churches…
      • When the Jesus comes and RAPTURES His church – and they are still there!
      • The KEY to not having to go through the TRIBULATION – is to KEEP the WORD of God…
      • Because when we are in the WORD – we are ABIDING in Jesus!
      • I Thessalonians 1:10 – “Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come!”
    • [Wrath that] shall come upon the whole world – to test those who dwell on the earth!
      • THE Tribulation that will come upon EVERYONE [ὅλος]
      • As a TEST to those who are still LIVING here on the earth [not taken in the rapture]
      • As we come to the THIRD part of Revelation – see the HORRORS of the TRIBULATION…
      • One quarter of the earth dies with the first FOUR seals – FOUR horsemen – Revelation 6:8
      • By the time SIXTH trumpet is blown – 60% of the world has perished – Revelation 9:15
      • It will be natural to ask – why would God bring such WRATH upon the WORLD!
      • We are given the answer here – because God wants to TEST the hearts of men…
      • He will bring CONSEQUENCES – to see if those who DWELL on the earth will REPENT…
      • Why are we not going to be here – because we have already CHOSEN…
      • Those who HOLD onto His Word TODAY – have no reason to be tested again!

• 3^rd – The Negative… vs. 11
  • 1^st – Hold Fast…
    • No NEGATIVE…
      • There really is NO negative for the church of PHILADELPHIA – they were a GOOD church…
      • But there was a WARNING – what they NEEDED to do in order to FINISH well!
    • [Look] – I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have!
      • LOOK [imperative] – one find Jesus tells this church WHAT to LOOK at…
      • They were to LOOK for Jesus – who was coming QUICKLY…
      • While they were WAITING – they MUST [imperative] HOLD onto what they had [the Word]!
      • Jesus is coming QUICKLY – the RAPTURE could happen TODAY…
      • If the TRUMPET sounded NOW – what would Jesus find in us doing…
      • We might think – PLEASE come back NOW – I am in CHURCH…
      • But what if it happened TOMORROW – are we CONFIDENT we would be READY…
      • The COMMAND we are given to keep us READY – is to HOLD [imperative] onto the WORD…
      • I John 3:3 – “Everyone who has this hope in Him [rapture] purifies himself.”
  • 2^nd – The Crown…
    • [Hold fast] – that no one may take your crown!
    • The IMPORTANCE of HOLDING onto the WORD – till Jesus comes…
    • Is emphasized by the DANGER of someone taking [subjunctive] our CROWN…
    • THE [ὁ] CROWN – [στέφανος] – described as the CROWN of LIFE – Revelation 2:10 
    • In other words do NOT get discouraged that because the church is SMALL…
    • Definitely do NOT try and imitate certain MEGA churches who REJECT the Word…
    • Instead simply ABIDE in Jesus – in His Word – LOOKING for His RETURN…
    • Knowing as we do – no one can CLOSE the DOOR to heaven – no one can take our CROWN!

If we are willing to LISTEN to what His SPIRIT has to SAY!

4^th – The encouragement… vs. 12-13

1^st – Overcome … vs. 12

He who overcomes!

This same CONCLUSION – is given to all SEVEN churches…

There are a variety of REWARDS described – but all with the same CONDITION…

OVERCOME [νικάω] – to those who have VICTORY [present]

For PHILADELPHIA – VICTORY meant NOT being DISTRACTED…

Instead continuing to HOLD onto the Word – LOOKING for the coming of Jesus…

If they did – they were given TWO promises!

2^nd – Pillar in the Temple… vs. 12

I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God – and he shall go out no more!

PILLAR [στῦλος] – 4x in NT – used to describe LEADERS in the church – Galatians 2:9

Those who OVERCOME will [future] become LEADERS in the HOUSE [temple] of God…

They will NEVER [οὐ μὴ] leave [go out] His PRESENCE ever again!

It is interesting to NOTE – that in the RUINS of the ancient city of PHILADELPHIA…

The ONLY thing left standing is three PILLARS from the CHURCH!

The Bible does not say much about what we will do in ETERNITY…

The Word does not say much about what our JOB will be – how will we spend our TIME…

But here we are told – those who OVERCOME – will be LEADERS [pillars]

And they will ALWAYS be in the PRESENCE of the FATHER [My God] in heaven!

3^rd – Name of God… vs. 12

I will write on him the name of My God!

When I was a kid – every summer I would go a Youth Camp…

My mother would write my NAME on my clothes…

Her intent was so that there would be NO question they belonged to me!

To those who OVERCOME – God places His NAME on us…

That way there is NO question who we belong to – we belong to Him!

The name of the city of My God!

The City of God – it NOT the current city of Jerusalem…

That city today is overrun [trampled down] by the Gentiles – Luke 21:24

When we were in Israel last year – we were talking the street on a Friday…

The Al-Aqsa mosque had just let out – a STREAM of people that lasted an HOUR poured out!

The New Jerusalem – comes down out of heaven from My God!

The City of God – is the NEW Jerusalem – that will come down out of Heaven…

We will talk a LOT more about this NEW Jerusalem in – Revelation 21

When we TRAVEL we have a PASSPORT – that tells people where we are FROM…

It has a NAME marked on the front of it declaring our CITIZENSHIP!

We can ONLY be citizens of one of TWO kingdoms – Matthew 12:30

We either belong to the KINGDOM of God – or the KINGDOM of this world…

And if we try to get into heaven with the wrong CITIZENSHIP – the doors are closed…

But if we OVERCOME – we no longer belong to this world – changed our CITIZENSHIP!

[I will write on him] My new name!

Note that the words – I will write on him – are written in italics…

The passage just says – Jesus has a NEW name…

Jesus [יְשׁוּעָה] – is a name that means God is SALVATION…

But having SAVED us – He will have a NEW name written on Him!

Revelation 19:16 – “He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.”

Because when Jesus returns – it will NOT be to SAVE – it will be to RULE!

4^th – LISTEN … vs. 13

He who has an ear – let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches!

This was NOT written just for the church in PHILADELPHIA…

It is for ANYONE who has an EAR – they MUST [imperative] LISTEN…

Because the SPIRIT of God is SPEAKING [present] to ALL churches [plural]

This LETTER is for us – Jesus is writing to us TODAY…