Audio Access Available Above
“The Church Of The Open Door” • 7.26.20 • Calvary
Christian Fellowship, Sunday Morning Service
Intro.
Text
• Revelation 3:7 : "And to the angel of
the church in Philadelphia write," : As is
commonly known, "Philadelphia" means "Brotherly love" or
more literally, "Love of brother."
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Originally, this was a nickname given to Attalus II. He had displayed great loyalty
to his brother, the King of Lydia, Eumenes II, and for his loyalty, the King
bestowed this moniker.
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He became Attalus Philadelphus and the founders of this city used his new
surname as their title. Philadelphia is roughly 35 miles from Sardis.
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Like it's predecessor, Philadelphia was built near a river, the Cogamus river.
It's position afforded it with tremendous commercial advantages.
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It sat on the border of Lydia to it's west, Mysia to it's north and Phrygia to
it's east. It was called the "Gateway To The East," a perfect center
for cultural exchange.
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In fact, scholars propose that Philadelphia was founded with the mission of
introducing the Greek language and culture to these other cities, which were
considered "barbarian."
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The plan worked exceptionally well in Lydia, whose citizens abandoned their own
native language by A.D.19 in order to adopt the Greek language.
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As we've seen with Sardis and Thyatira, many of the ancient cities had had
their "heyday" and were now on the decline. Philiadelphia was just
warming up!
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It was growing in power and would continue to exert it's influence throughout
the region for nearly another century!
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Their economy was based on textiles, leather work and ultimately wine. Their
wine was apparently worthy of an ode written by the ancient poet Virgil!
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As far as paganism went, Philadelphia was not to be outdone. Their pagan
temples littered the landscape, earning them the title, "Little
Athens!"
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Some suggest that this reputation has carried on even to this present day, as
it's modern day name "AlaShehir" is at least a crude Turkish version
of the phrase, "City of God."
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Regarding the church, you'll be happy to hear that unlike the last two
churches, things were thriving in this fellowship.
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While we are again in the dark about their leadership, it's worth noting that
this time, their lack of a visual or vocal leader, was in no way damaging to
the church.
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In fact, their lack of a central leader might have been a key to their success,
as most true Pastors would rather be supportive of the church without being stars
within it.
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The best case scenario is when Jesus is the Star and His Word is telescope!
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When He is, beautiful things occur, which we will see corroborated by this
church. Verse 7.
•
Revelation 3:7 : "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':" : Jesus,
the person that is addressing and indeed, Lord over the church, is first,
"holy."
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This is a designation that is vital, but it's definition is very hard to
explain. In the Old Testament, the word translated "holy" occurs 431
times, not including the related term "holiness."
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In the New Testament, "agios" comes up 180 times, 200 if you included
"holiness." To define it, one would use the words "pure" or
"morally blameless," terms that are self-evident in the Godhead.
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When the word "holy" is applied to God, the idea that is being
communicated is one of separation, being alone in His own category. Jesus alone
embodies holiness intrinsically.
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The Godhead is completely separate from every other being. We would not know of
the Godhead without their desire to be known.
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Consequently, we could never have understood holiness apart from the Lord's
example and presence in our lives! You and I are not holy, except as we reflect
His holiness.
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As we conform to His character, His Spirit expresses the Lord holiness through
us, issuing in our moral purity and blamelessness. Jesus is telling the
Philadelphians this to encourage them.
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They were living holy lives that confused their counterparts, but that brought
them into company with their holy Lord! I'd rather have a life that was
pleasing to Him!
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Jesus is holy and, at the same time, the souce of truth! This word is not
necessarily speaking of that which is accurate, but that which genuinue! Jesus
is the real deal!
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In a world of false idol temples and false forms of worship, Jesus is truly
what the Apostles report Him to be in their writings!
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Jesus can be trusted and what He says about life can be received with our full
confidence! What He says is completely reliable and worthy of our willing and
rational obedience!
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The Holy and True One tells the Philadelphian church who He is and further,
what He has!
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Jesus possesses the "key of David," a distinct designation that is
not found in His original revelation. In chapter 1, Jesus says of Himself that He holds the "keys to hades and
death."
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Here, He makes reference to a quote and story from Isaiah 22. In that passage, one of King Hezekiah's scribes had been
singled out by God for His pride and insolence.
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God's prophey Isaiah had prophecied that Judah would be carried away by Babylon
and the King believed the Lord, but the King's scribe Shebna did not.
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In an act of willful rebellion, Shebna chose to to prepare a tomb for Himself
in Jerusalem, signifying that he would live out his life there and die in peace.
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He represented many who could hardly believe that God would allow such a thing!
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But God was allowing this to befall Judah! Because of Shebna's pride, God demoted
him and promoted a man name "Eliakim," whose name means "God
sets up!"
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Eliakim was not famous, more talented or in any way, particularly "better"
than Shebna. The dividing line then and now, was that the man believed God and
was faithful to His Word!
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That's why God set up "God Sets Up!" His faithfulness issued in great
authority for the scribe. All doors were opened for Him.
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That is what Jesus has to give to a person, and indeed a church that fits the
faithful profile! He will set them up for effective service!
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From chapter 1, Jesus tells the
church that He holds the keys to hades and death. He is in control of who lives
and dies and where they go from there.
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Here, He also holds the keys to what takes place in this life! He is in charge
of how a church will affect it's community! He will open previously locked,
inaccessible doors.
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At the same time, He shuts doors that He doesn't want us going through! How did
this apply to the church in Philadelphia? Have a look at verse 8.
•
Revelation 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." : Six churches in and the
Lord is batting a thousand! He knows all of their works!
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Whether the church is in a large and thriving city, or an old declining city,
Jesus knows!
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He sees with great precision and understands with context. I know this is an
oft repeated point, but let's take the opportunity to refresh ourselves in it:
Jesus sees and knows!
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The God of your life is an excellent accountant when it comes to record
keeping. Nothing we do for Him is lost. Allow that to encourage you, as you
consider your work for Him!
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And may your work be attended to, as it was in Philadelphia! God had set this
church up for a season of effective service! He wants them to recognize this.
"Behold!" "Look carefully!"
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They were to think about the fact that He had given them an "open
door." This doesn't refer to a common home entry. This is essentially a
gate into a city! We understand the metaphor.
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A "door" scripturally, contextually, refers to an opportunity to serve
the Lord's interests for a season, in a particular locale. The fact that a door
is used means that there is a normal resistance.
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The world does not want to allow God or His people to have access to their
Kingdom, but God will not be stopped when He makes the choice to operate in a
city or a heart.
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The church in Philadelphia had not stumbled upon a ministry opportunity by the
genius of their own efforts or by their vigorous planning sessions. Jesus had
put it in their path!
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He had given it to them! He had set them right before an "open door."
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Jesus had unlocked a stronghold and bid His church to enter into it, to seize
the moment.
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They would have unlimited access for this moment, as He assures them that
nobody was going to be able to shut this door anytime soon! Don't you wish you
knew what this door represented?
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It could have been a time of great fervor for God's Word. Paul used this same
metaphor when he talked with the Corinthians about his time in Ephesus. (I Corinthians 16:9)
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He had been discipling 12 men, which turned into a two year teaching residency
at the school of Tyrannus! (Acts 19:9,10)
- Earlier in Paul's
ministry, he noted that God had opened the "door" of faith to the
Gentiles. (Acts 14:27) You could
also consult I Corinthians 16:9, II Corinthians 2:12 and Colossians 4:3.
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Whenever this metaphor is used then, God's Word, either in evangelism or
discipleship, truly, the gospel is moving in and having a genuine, lasting
effect upon a society.
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In the same way that the city exported Greek culture, the Church exported
Heaven's culture!
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The fact that God has had to "open the door" let's us know that most
of the the rest of the time, the opportunity was not there. But it was for the
Philadelphians! Why?
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Look at the formula: You have a little strength, have kept my Word and have not
denied my Name! This certainly seems counter-intuitive. Philadelphia did not
have a lot of strength.
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They had "little strength!" The words are better translated
"micro power!" They had power, but it was a micro burst of it! Most
Christians lament their lack of power, but Jesus celebrates it!
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He's not criticizing them. He's acknowledging what is true and what is at the
same time exciting. The issue is never in how much power you and I have, but in
how much of it belongs to Him!
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He doesn't need much power from us! Our abilities don't need to measure in
large amounts!
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In His hands, at just the right time and place, "micro power" is all
that He would ever need! What was the secret of their strength? They kept His
Word!
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They regularly attended to God's Word, acting upon what it was that they were
learning, committing themselves to it's standard.
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Work for Christ will never be greater than a person's attention to the Word of
Christ! Philadelphia was all in! They went forth committed to His Word and
unwilling to deny His Name!
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They would not act as if Christ was not their life, their center, their God! In
the face of all that stood in opposition, Philadelphia bravely went forward
accepting all that came with knowing Christ!
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Knowing Christ eternally brings blessing, reward and power. That is worth the
shame, indignity and embarassment that might come from those who oppose Him on
this earth!
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The Philadelphians were willing to accept whatever came with the Name of Jesus
in their corrupt world and the Lord used them mightily! Let us take notice!
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Incidentally, doesn't it feel like Jesus is talking with His partners? There's
no rebuke or correction, just encouragement! This is how Jesus can talk with us
when we are engaged.
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When we work as He did, He never needs to change our course or correct our
path! He will speak to us a fellow laborers! Jesus continues in verse 9.
•
Revelation 3:9 : "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." : Keep in mind what Jesus has just said to this church. He has
opened a door that none could shut.
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They had little strength, kept His Word, and not denied His Name. That connects
us to verse 9, and the people that
perhaps sought to cut off the Church's opportunity.
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Could it be that the Jews that lived in Philadelphia sought to shut the door
that the Lord had opened for the church? Think of how many of them would have
appeared to the watching world.
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Perhaps the Jews of this city were the ones who SEEMED to have great strength,
who were supposedly keeping God's Word and who believed themselves to be
holding to God's Name.
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Jesus doesn't agree with that assessement at all! They were actually a
synagogue of Satan! In their anti-Christ sentiment, they had become sentries
for Satan's opposition to God!
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Jesus announces to their church that the people that belong to this synagogue
in this city, were deceived about who they were. They would have said that they
were Jews, but they were not!
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I've commented before that the name "Israeli" comes from a word which
means "governed by God." These men were ethnically Jewish, but not
spiritually true to their given name.
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This is how they could say that they were Jews, but Jesus could say they were
not. At this moment, it seems as if the "synagogue of Satan" was
standing proudly over the church.
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The context makes it seem that the Jews from this synagogue were directly
responsible for persecuting the members of the church.
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This isn't without precedent, especially when one examines the contents of the
book of Acts, specifically, chapters 13,
14, 17, 18 and 23.
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Because of their zeal for the Lord, they blindly attacked the "threat"
of Christianity throughout it's formative years. Jesus told the disciples to
prepare for this eventuality.
• John
16:1-4 : "These things I have
spoken to you, that you should
not be made to stumble. They
will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming
that
whoever kills you will think that he offers God service.
And
these
things they will do to you
because they have not known the Father nor Me.
But
these things I have told you, that when the time
comes, you may remember that I told you of them. And these things I did not say to you at the beginning, because
I was with you." : The church in Philadelphia
had become a target and without knowing the extent of their enemies efforts,
the Lord promises to turn the tables on their persecutors!
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Jesus tells the church that He will make them come and offer respect before
them. The phrase is idiomatic. When someone sat at your feet, they were
considered students.
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These Jews that were the church's enemies would eventually become students, who
revered the ones that brought them to Jesus!
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The Jews of this city would not be the ones teaching the church about the
Hebrew God. The church would be leading these Jews to their Hebrew God through
Jesus Christ!
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These Jewish men from Philadelphia would realize that the Lord loved and
favored His church. They would be grateful to have "lost" their lives
to gain Christ! Verse 10.
•
Revelation 3:10,11 : "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. Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast
what you have, that no one may take your
crown." : The Lord promises to reverse His
people's circumstance because of His love for them.
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Because they had loved Him, by attending to His command to persevere, He
further promises their protection. This is His command to us all!
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We are to endure under duress for His Name's sake! It doesn't matter what it
costs us or if we will go alone. Our Lord calls us to endure and He promises to
keep us from the hour of trial.
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Note the significant language here. Because they kept His Word, He would keep
them. The same Greek word is used both times. Additionally, the word
"from" is usually translated "out."
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"Ek" is a word that almost always means "out from." For
example: "Ekklesia." "Called out." They will not be kept
within or kept safe while. They will be kept out from THE hour or THE trial!
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The word "trial" comes from a word which speaks of "putting
something to proof through experimentation." The time was forthcoming and
it would be world wide, a testing of Earth's populace!
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A further consideration is the phrase, "those who dwell on the
earth." That is who the test is focused upon. The phrase is used, by my
count, eight other times in Revelation.
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Every time that it is used, it refers to unbelievers! This specific hour will
be geared toward those that have not believed in Jesus Christ.
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This verse, as well as another potential reference in 2:18, strengthens the idea of an applicability to the churches
being representative of churches and believers across the ages.
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There will be Thatiran type churches and Philadelphian type churches which will
be in existence just prior to the beginning of the Lord's Day, the "hour
of trial."
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In this time, there was a season of persecution that was about to explode for
the next two hundred years, but can that be considered as a test of planetary
proportions? To them it could.
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Certainly, this church is being told of a time future to them, but so much
closer to us!
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To them and much more to us, Jesus reminds all that He comes quickly! His
people are to believe that His arrival was going to take place rapidly.
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They were to lay ahold of what they had in Him. Why? So that they would not
lose their crown! This doesn't refer to salvation, but to reward for service
rendered to the Lord!
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This crown was both the crown of the victor, as well as the mark of a member of
the royal family! These are the pieces of currency that will be heaved at the
feet of Jesus in heaven!
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Those Christians who fail to hold onto these Philadelphian tenents, of keeping
His Word and not denying His Name, would also find themselves without reward!
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They Christians will be saved, but will have failed to secure that which the
Lord has secured for them, thus entering heaven without reward. Jesus doesn't
want that for them or for us! Verse 12.
•
Revelation 3:12 : "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." : Jesus
offers them security on this earth and security in His world if they will
overcome!
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When you go back through these letters, notice that each one has a call to
conquer. These are not naturally occurring outcomes. We must make it our goal
to succeed spiritually.
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Of course, we understand that our success is tied firmly to His grace to keep
us. He works in us "to will and to do." (Philippians 2:13) Let that never be doubted.
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However, we can never neglect keeping ourselves in a place to receive that
grace, to cooperate with His call, to respond to the open door, to keep His
Word and honor His Name!
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Jesus promises the victors that they will be pillars, or columns, in God's
temple. In Philadelphia, honored citizens were awarded with a pillar
constructed within a given temple.
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Their names would appear on it, in the same way that people have names on
benches and bricks throughout our cities. Jesus is telling them that they will
be remembered where it matters most!
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They will be columns in the Lord's Temple and shall never be displaced! One
interesting thing about the city of Philadelphia was that it lived under the
constant threat of seismic activity.
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In fact, an earthquake destroyed the city and it had to be rebuilt. Whenever an
earthquake occurred, the citizens would respond by moving outside of the city,
away from it's buildings!
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They were constantly going out and coming in! That won't be the case in their
Father's house! The Lord's house would never be shaken and they would never
have to move!
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They'd be permanent fixtures, just like the pillars that once stood as remnants
of their city! Those pillars had been poured into the foundations of the
temples! Think about that.
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When your foundation is in Christ, even when the world topples, you'll stand
tall!
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They would stand in this life and they would stand as fixtures in God's holy
temple! These Christians will be full blown citizens. Jesus will write on them.
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This has always been significant of possession. These Christians will belong to
God, be citizens of His city and will be the prized bride of Jesus Christ!
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There won't be a question of who we are or why we are there! When the Lord's
city descends upon the Earth, all will know that we belong to Him! We'll have
every form of identity that we'll need!
•
Revelation 3:13 : "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit
says to the churches.'" : Are you a Philadelphian? Are
you discerning what the Spirit of God is saying? Does He talk to you like a
partner or does He constantly have to correct your course?
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Still, most people believe that they are Philadelphians. It would be good to
test that theory. Let's play, "You're a Philadelphian IF." Get out
your score cards and be honest.
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You are a Philadelphian if you are taking the "open doors" laid out
before you. Every person, relationship, is an opportunity for you to witness.
You are either evangelizing or discipling.
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Does that sound like you? Do your co-workers expect you to talk with them about
Jesus? Do they know that He is Your Lord? Can they predict your godly
responses?
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You are a Philadelphian if you realize that you have little strength, but that
the gospel is the power of God to salvation! A Philadelphian gives God full
access to their "micro power!"
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Are you concerned with your own abilities to the point of not using anything
for God? That isn't what a Philadelphian does!
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You are a Philadelphian if your most treasured thoughts, actions and wisdom are
derived from the principles found in His Word!
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A Philadelphian won't spend endless hours watching the latest news programs or
reading 40 periodicals a day! They are alive when their Bible is open and when
you cut them, the bleed bibline!
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Finally, your a Philadelphian if you aren't ashamed of your Savior! You hold to
His Name, you swear by His reputation, you believe when everything else fights
against you!
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If you answered "yes" to all of these, you are hearing and DOING what
the Spirit is saying to the church! You can be assured that His promises will
apply to you!
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If not, thank the Lord for the grace He has given you to see your true state
before it is too late!
Conclusion
- Let's pray!
- Let's pray!