God’s Open Door—2

GOD’S OPEN DOOR-II—Revelation 3:7-13

Father’s Day—2002

The church in Philadelphia was told that Jesus had placed an open door before them.

The true church has an open door from Jesus before her.

Where does God’s open door lead?

10 places where God’s open door leads the church are...

1. HOLINESS(:7b)

2. LOYALTY(:7c)

3. ACCESS(:7d, 8b)

4. PREVENTION(:7e)

5. FULL KNOWLEDGE(:8a)

6. FULL RESPONSIBILITY/Obedience(:8b)

7—God’s open door leads to

ADMISSION(:9)

—Explanation:(:9)

“‘Behold, I will cause those of the synagogue of Satan, who say that they are Jews, & are not, but lie--behold, I will make them to come & bow down at your feet, & to know that I have loved you.”

Recognize/Admit that God was working in Christians all along.

An Admission of past deception of heart.

—Argumentation:

Jn. 9:39-41—“And Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see; & that those who see may become blind.” Those of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these things, & said to Him, “We are not blind too, are we?” Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but since you say, ‘We see,’ your sin remains.”

Php. 2:9-11“Therefore also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE SHOULD BOW, of those who are in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

—Illustration:

Mrs. Miller’s Pet Chicken/Housebroken/Pecks on door to go outside/I never would have believed it unless someone had told me/ADMISSION

—Application:

?You have an open door into God’s ADMISSION?

?Where does God’s open door lead you?

8—God’s open door leads to

PROTECTION(:10)

—Explanation:(:10) Prevention

: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 upon the earth.”

“Because”—

“Keep you from”—Prevention/Preservation

“That hour”—Indefinite time.

“To test”—Give them an opportunity to finally prove the focus of their faith!

—Argumentation:

1Thess. 4:14--18—“For if we believe that Jesus died & rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, & remain until the coming of the Lord, shall not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, & with the trumpet of God; & the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we who are alive & remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, & thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.”

1Thess. 5:9-10—“For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with Him.”

—Illustration:

Family car in garage/Old clunker outside under trees/Family car protected—Worth more/PROTECTION/PREVENTION

You are worth more to God than those who refuse Him.

—Application:

?You have an open door into God’s PROTECTION?

?Where does God’s open door lead you?

9—God’s open door leads to

VICTORY/CROWNING(:11)

—Explanation:(:11) Recognition/Award

“‘I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, in order that no one take your crown.”

“Coming quickly”—Written roughly 60yrs. beyond the resurrection. & 2000yrs. for us!

“Hold fast”—

“Take”—Lay hold of

Others may take our rightful possession.—How?

“Your crown”—stefanoV—A public symbol/recognition of victory/honor.

Sin robs us of our full joy in Christ.

We may allow others to have such an influence that our crown is stolen.

—Argumentation:

1Cor. 15:56-57—“The sting of death is sin, & the power of sin is the law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

2Cor. 5:10—“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.”

Rev. 4:8-11—“And the four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around & within; & day & night they do not cease to say, “HOLY, HOLY, HOLY, is THE LORD GOD, THE ALMIGHTY, WHO WAS AND WHO IS AND WHO IS TO COME.” And when the living creatures give glory & honor & thanks to Him who sits on the throne, to Him who lives forever & ever, the twenty-four elders will fall down before Him who sits on the throne, & will worship Him who lives forever & ever, & will cast their crowns before the throne, saying, “Worthy art Thou, our Lord & our God, to receive glory & honor & power; for Thou didst create all things, & because of Thy will they existed, & were created.””